You Deserve More
by Vixen With A Vendetta
Summary: "You're a survivor. You can take care of yourself. You should be able to make your own decisions because you are strong enough. " He said the things that Maggie wished Glenn believed. (Maggie/OC) (Not for Gleggie fans) (Post season three AU)
1. Water for Rocky

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Hello everyone!

This is just a short series of one-shots I'm going to write as I'm taking a mental break from other projects. This is written for my friend, Miko, who's support is awesome and amazing. This story is not for Gleggie fans, that being said, don't read it if you don't like it. This is set post-season three AU, Maggie/OC. Gabriel is an OC with the likeness of Nathaniel Buzolic. It will be confusing at first, but the backstory will be explained bit by bit. The dog, Rocky is named after Miko's that passed away. Please enjoy! And drop a review if you don't mind!

**A reminder** - If you don't like this pairing, too bad and don't waste my time with anon-hate reviews. Especially if you're going to accuse my character of being a Gary Stu without even reading the story or knowing what that means. Unconstructive, pointless reviews like that will and have been deleted.

* * *

Water for Rocky

* * *

Seeing the way her tongue hung out and her fragile frame shook with the fast paced breaths didn't cut through him nearly as much as the low, high-pitched whimpers he felt against his stomach.

"I know, girl," Gabriel murmured, running a hand over her head, trying to sooth her discomfort.

The cot was cramped with him and the large, but malnourished pit-bull that insisted on lying down next to him. Admittedly, she took up more room than him and his shoulder was crammed up against the concrete wall. He didn't care though, if that made his companion a little less miserable, it was a small price to pay.

He hated seeing those round brown eyes, constantly looking to him and wondering what she had done wrong.

He kept his other hand tucked under his head while he stared up absently at the underside of the bunk. The air was musty, but it wasn't filled with the smell of the decaying. It was a relief for him. The only thing that mocked him was the broken parallel shadows that fell into the room from the jail cell bars.

He stopped counting how many hours he laid on the cot, just listening. He listened for anything. He listened to the voices of the survivors, trying to pick out who was who. The way they whispered about the walkers at the fence and how everyone should stay away from the prisoner. He listened to their strides, the steps they took as they came closer and faded away within the cell block.

He heard hers before she said anything. He heard her before her shadow disrupted the light in the confined space.

Maggie frowned at their prisoner. He was also so quiet and never made a single complaint. Right now, she eyed up the way his knees were bent and he was lounging on the cot with his dog with no hurry in the world.

"Why do you never say anything?" Maggie finally asked aloud.

"There's nothing to talk about," Gabriel replied in a short and bored tone. His eyes then flickered over to her. He recognized the brown jumpsuit outfit that she wore from the day he pushed that walker off her back in the woods. More importantly, her thumb was tucked under the strap of_ his _sniper rifle.

No doubt to make a statement and try to bait a response from him, he figured.

"It sounds like you don't even want to get out of there," Maggie pointed out frankly with more curiosity than sympathy.

"That's because I don't," Gabriel declared shortly. He let out a sigh and lifted his arms while he pushed himself to a seat, dropping his legs over the side of the cot. He leaned his elbows against his knees.

Rocky let out a gruff noise at the disturbance. The pup got up from her seat and moved down to the floor before flopping down lazily once more, enjoying the coolness of the concrete.

Gabriel looked over at Maggie, rubbing the scruff on his chin a moment before gesturing around him. "Shade, roof over my head. Sleep. Maybe a chance of food or water. Secure door and not having to keep one eye open all the time for walkers," He listed off the benefits before adding on with a faint smirk, "This place is the goddamn Four Seasons compared to what I had before."

Maggie frowned thoughtfully, but didn't say anything. They had all been there at some point, she figured. There had been a time they were running from place to place, sleeping in the most decrepit locations like storage units. She always wondered when the day would come they would have to run again.

It wasn't today at least. Today, she was at the end of cell block D, curious about the unwelcomed newcomer.

But heck, she wasn't even supposed to be standing there talking to him in the first place. She knew what Glenn and Rick would say about it.

Maggie turned her shoulder and took one step away from she was stopped by a soft, "Hey" from him.

Looking up at him, she stilled while he took careful steps towards the bars. She wasn't standing near enough to be grabbed, but it still made her nervous. He made her nervous, especially with his towering height over her, those dark eyes that commanded attention, and the calloused but strong hands that wrapped around the bars.

Gabriel leaned his forehead against the bars while he swallowed his pride. He didn't want to ask for anything from these people, but this time he had to. "Can I get some water?" He almost whispered.

Maggie's shoulders stiffened at the request. He could tell she was told to say no to any requests.

He then nodded quickly down to his companion before adding, "For Rocky."

She had expressive green eyes, ones that didn't hide for a moment her confusion.

"Punish me, that's fine," Gabriel said quickly in a low and fierce tone. "But she didn't ask to be put in here."

Maggie's gaze faltered towards the pup. Her expression fell, seeing how overheated the animal was. Surely, the cell block stagnant air wasn't making it any better for her.

But you can't sympathize with him, she quickly told herself though. You don't know anything about him, but they know the awful things that people do when given the chance.

Maggie turned abruptly away from Gabriel and marched down the rest of the cell block.

Gabriel's tongue ran over his teeth in aggravation before locking his jaw, his grip tightening on the bars. With a sigh, he stepped away and back towards his friend.

* * *

Gabriel left the leather jacket on the cot, it was reaching midday and too hot with the Georgia heat to be wearing it. The white shirt clung to his build, deeply stained from days of sweat and dirt, like the jeans he wore. He settled down on the ground with Rocky. He didn't care about the thick layer of dust and god knows what other grime there was on the floor. It just felt too good to get a little cooling relief on his back and legs from the concrete.

He kept one hand on his friend, running it absently up and down along her belly. The skin quivered, but took longer than it should to bounce back to place because of the dehydration.

Gabriel was resting his eyes lightly when he felt a shadow fall over his face. With a squint, he looked up to see her again.

She was leaning against the edge of the bars closest to him. Dangerously close, he realized, if he was a crazy man he could grab her.

Maggie quickly glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was watching before she pulled an object from her sleeve. Her other arm was tucked behind her back as she leaned against the concrete frame.

"For Rocky," She whispered, holding out the semi-transparent object that created a prism in the sunlight.

Hesitantly, Gabriel pushed himself up to his knees, high enough to reach her. His fingers wrapped around the plastic and for a brief moment, he wondered if she would pull it away from him. But instead, she let him take the precious, lukewarm water bottle.

Quickly, he pulled out the empty food dish that had provided his meager serving the night before. Rocky made a whimpering noise and perked up immediately. She got up on her feet while Gabriel set the pan on the ground. He gave a few quick apprehensive glances towards Maggie, but focused on his friend.

He poured some of the water into the pan. Immediately, the dog started lapped it up in loud noises, almost pushing his hand out of the way in the process.

"Easy there," He grinned down at her eagerness, but relieved to see her getting some water. He remained kneeling next to Rocky, running a hand through her short fur.

He didn't say anything while the water quickly disappeared from the bowl. But Gabriel had to put a cap on the rest and his expression broke when Rocky looked up at him, her eyes clearly wondering why he wasn't giving her more.

"I gotta save it… too much will make you sick, girl," He tried to reason with her.

Despite herself, Maggie broke a little bit watching how gentle he was with his friend. She had wondered if he would snatch the bottle of her hand and gulp it down for himself. Or maybe tuck it away later for the same reason.

Giving one more glance over her shoulder, she pulled out her other hand from behind her back.

"Here," She said quietly.

Gabriel looked up to see another water bottle being held through the bars. His brow furrowed slightly. That was more than he asked for.

Carefully, he pushed himself up, one hand on his knee before standing in front of Maggie. He didn't reach towards the bottle though.

"This one is for you," Maggie reassured in a gentle tone that lacked a smile.

Gabriel glanced down at their hands as he took the bottle from her. He saw hers drop from between the bars, but she didn't back away after that.

He twisted the cap off that one and looked back up to her eyes.

Maggie felt her throat tighten with the tense way he watched her as he took a gulp from the bottle. His eyes didn't break contact from her. His eyes bore into her and she wondered what he saw. She saw his throat roll through the swallow and his tongue dart out briefly against his lips while he closed the bottle.

Whatever he was thinking, he took a step closer to the bars and wrapped his hand around one between them.

"Mag-gie!" Daryl's shout from the end of the cell block broke her out of her trance. Maggie took a step back in surprise and turned her head in his direction.

The redneck had a pair of crow bars in hand, for fence duty. "You comin'?" He snapped out impatiently, his eyes quietly darting back and forth between her and the prisoner.

Without glancing back to Gabriel, she made hurried steps after Daryl. Gabriel pressed his cheek against the cool bar, watching her as she went.

That was how he started to see her every day, when she brought water for him. For Rocky.


	2. One Question

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M: You got it. I can guarantee there will be a proper build up for this.

Hope whoever is out there enjoys this! Please drop a review if you have a chance.

* * *

One Question

* * *

He noticed the cellblock got busier the closer to meal time. He could hear the younger children, chattering about the lesson they received. It was something about how to handle knives. He still remembered times when children enjoyed playing with toys, not learning where the softest point of the human skull was.

There was a baby too, it was starting to teeth. It cried a lot and there wasn't much comfort to bring her. It wasn't like they had an abundance of numbing ointment or the luxury of pulling an ice pack out of the freezer.

Her steps came faster than before. He counted in his head how many seconds it took her to pass the other nine cells before coming to his.

Gabriel rose up from his seat when he spotted Maggie come into sight. This time she didn't have the rifle on her shoulder. He really wanted to know what she did with his gun damnit. Instead, she had a basket of clothes on her hip.

"Give me your empty bottle," Maggie hissed quietly at him while glancing over her shoulder.

Frowning slightly from the abruptness, Gabriel reached under his jacket makeshift pillow and pulled out the plastic. He walked up to the cell bars while Maggie was looking at the other end of the cellblock. She startled a little when she turned back and he was standing right there.

Without a word, he held the empty bottle out to her. She snatched it quickly and pulled the first shirt off the pile from the laundry basket. Underneath was another bottle, she swapped them and held the full one out to him.

Carefully, Gabriel took the bottle, watching her expression and trying to understand her. "Thank you," He murmured to her.

Maggie gave him a hard look before glancing briefly towards the pit-bull at his feet. She just gave a curt nod before throwing the shirt back after the empty bottle and marching on in her chore path.

* * *

Gabriel quickly figured out the pattern to their interactions. She never smiled at him, but those green eyes he could see were thinking – calculating, trying to figure him out. Whether it was hidden in her clothes or the ones she carried, she always brought a water bottle. He figured out she was likely boiling water and reusing the bottles to avoid them piling up in his cell block, raising suspicion.

She was fast, but she always stopped for one question.

The Sheriff tried talking to him on a few occasions. He wasn't sure about him. He was the type of man you could look into his eyes and see he was battling demons.

"Where did you come from?" Maggie asked him while she passed the bottle between the bars. She never actually touched him and she was always tense in the shoulders.

"North, down I-95," Gabriel answered her simply, but truthfully.

Maggie glared at him. That wasn't exactly what she meant.

* * *

The next time she came down, he was at the bars before she got there. She caught a glimpse of his unruly thick locks and the sharp features of his brow line.

"Where's your group?" She asked bluntly, more specifically this time.

"I don't have one," Gabriel replied while he held out the empty plastic to her. Rocky was doing better. Her tail was wagging again since he started splitting the bottles between the two of them.

This time she scoffed at him and shook her head.

"No one can survive alone," She dismissed.

She walked away from him. He could hear the crinkling of the plastic in her hand in frustration. She thought that he had lied to her.

* * *

Originally, he had thought the questions were from her group because he would answer her and not the Sheriff. He figured they were just pumping her with questions, that's why she was always so direct and to the point.

He began to wonder if he was wrong that night. The cellblock glowed from rays of flickering light. Most of the people were gathered on the other end, away from him. He had already picked through the meager serving they had.

He had a gun to his head earlier. They moved him into another cell to clean out the waste from Rocky. They did it because of the smell, not for his comfort.

Her footsteps were softer this time, having quietly slunk away from the group.

"Why did you save me?" Her voice was low but full of wonder. He couldn't really see her face, it was in the shadows of the feeble light.

Gabriel shook his head, wondering why she would even ask him that.

"Why wouldn't I?" He responded from his spot on the cot. "That's what people do."

They save each other. If they didn't look out for each other, why bother trying to fight the walkers?

* * *

Gabriel started to really doubt his original thought when the questions became more personal. He noticed the young blonde, he was thinking she had some sort of relation to her, spent much time whispering with the other women. She was demure, but observant. The kind that could be easily overlooked.

Maggie didn't have to hide the water bottle this time because she brought his morning serving of food to him.

"Your accent," She stated abruptly while passing the water bottle through the bars. "You're not from around here," It wasn't really much of a question.

It was the first time he openly smirked at her. The dimple was pronounced on his cheek, even under the scruff along his chin and jawline.

That was understatement. He wasn't even American.

"No, I grew up in Perth," He replied to her, wiping the smirk off at her glare.

Maggie shifted on her hip while she held out the breakfasting serving to him. She had to rack her brain a moment to remember where that was and even then she was in disbelief. He gratefully took it while she spoke. "How did you end up here?"

Gabriel half shrugged his shoulders. He dived into the food immediately while leaning against the bars next to Maggie. He spoke in between bites, "Studying abroad. Outbreak hit. Couldn't find a way home."

Maggie wondered how many people at home he never got to see or hear from again.

* * *

She didn't glare at him upon arrival this time. In fact, he was sitting on the floor with Rocky in his lap when she came to the bars.

This time it was her that wrapped her fingers around the unfeeling metal and she leaned her forehead against them.

He looked up at her in concern. There was a tension in her eyes, something was bothering her, but he knew it wasn't something he did. Whatever was going on outside this cellblock was weighing down on her.

"What's your name?" She whispered.

"Gabriel," He said and added, "And you're Maggie." It took him quite some time to figure out, he had to eliminate so many names from the list of the whisperings he heard. But eventually, he figured out that Maggie wasn't the young blonde with wide blue eyes, the older woman with grey hair, or many of the other survivors that had come from this Woodbury place.

Maggie's eyes narrowed at him, having never told him her name.

"That's short for something, no?" He continued on calmly, for once trying to coax more of a conversation out of her. "Marjorie, perhaps?"

The cock of her head and the offended expression with a hand on her hip brought a broad grin to his lips.

"Margaret then?" He quipped.

Maggie's expression sobered up and she realized this stranger was teasing her. She just bit the inside of her lip and walked away from him abruptly, shaking her head.

Gabriel continued to grin after she left. He looked down at Rocky's head in his lap. "Margaret it is," He decided, scratching behind his pup's ears.


	3. First Touch

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M: Thanks girl! I'm glad you like Rocky, she'll be more present in the next one.

Lily1234: Thank you so much! I hope you like this one too!

Thanks for the follow. I hope everyone enjoys! Leave a review if you have a chance to.

* * *

First Touch

* * *

He figured out where were four of them that seemed to call the shots. It was a bizarre dynamic and he was still trying to sort out the names. He figured out the Sheriff was Rick. One of them Daryl who had a personality about as rough as his appearance. The other two were an old man that hobbled around on crutches, Gabriel wondered what happened to his leg. The last one was some Asian boy close to his age. His youth and testosterone showed in his eagerness to tackle issues with the closest blunt option.

Gabriel was going on his fourth day in the jail cell when he managed to beat Maggie to her customary first question.

He startled her when he was grabbing the bottle and his fingers brushed against hers. Maggie yanked her hand from the contact like she had been shocked, the question on her mind was lost as she stared down at the water bottle dropping to his side.

The bars had carried a sense of security for Maggie. As long as they were between her and Gabriel, she could come close and observe him in safety. He was almost a spectacle, a curiosity for her.

That brief contact sent her heart racing and reality reminded her.

"- lucky," Maggie only caught the last word of Gabriel's words.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes snapped up to his.

Gabriel nodded towards her hand, which she had clutched against her chest with the other. "He's a lucky man," He clarified gently.

He had noticed the ring on her finger the moment she wrapped her hand around the bar cell the first time.

"Thank you," Maggie mumbled, her mind still whirring a bit distractedly from the touch and where the compliment came from.

Gabriel nodded shortly with a grim thin set line in his mouth. He noticed that she didn't correct him and say the husband was in the past tense like most survivors did these days.

"High school sweetheart?" Gabriel questioned, fishing for some sort of conversation. The hours got lonely quickly with just him and Rocky for company. The others still avoided him like a walker.

Seeing that ring, he figured it was usually high school sweethearts or long time college couples that got married at their age.

"What? No…" Her voice trailed and her expression twisted. Her fingertips ran over the stone on her finger, which really held no personal meaning. She didn't know where it came from. She just remembered the day Glenn came out to her in the courtyard and put it in her palm with no words. It wasn't that long ago now she thought about it.

She looked away from Gabriel, it wasn't like she really owed him an answer or it was any of his business.

That was when she caught Glenn looking at her from the other end of the cell block. The tight lock jaw and questioning eyes told her he was wondering what she was doing, especially with the prisoner casually leaning one shoulder against the bars with his hands in his pockets.

Gabriel followed her gaze, particularly when her expression fell. "Ah, right…" He hummed out, it clicked in his mind. It made sense now.

It was funny what people were willing to settle for when lonely.

Maggie didn't say anything or look back, she marched straight away towards Glenn and tried to ignore the nagging feeling in her stomach – like if she had been caught doing something wrong.

* * *

He heard the change in their voices. They were louder from panic of their troubles. Gabriel hung around the bars more, but they weren't paying attention to him. He caught the bits and pieces to what was happening.

He reached out in the only way that could.

It wasn't that he truly cared about these people, but he didn't want to be locked in a jail cell if the place was compromised.

So he reached out when Maggie passed him the water bottle. She barely spared him a word, she was clearly distracted. She looked tired too, maybe she had been crying or just had trouble sleeping?

"Margaret," He whispered her name, but more importantly his hand shot through the bars and grabbed the jacket sleeve of her upper arm.

Maggie startled in alarm, feeling his firm grip. Immediately she tried to pull back, her heart jumped up to her throat. "Let go of –"

"It's the smell," Gabriel said in a rush before she started to make a commotion.

Maggie halted briefly. "What?" She gasped, but Gabriel could still feel her weight trying to lean away from him.

"The living," Gabriel explained quickly, knowing she could scream for help at any moment. "All that livestock. The horses, the pigs, the chickens. And then the people… That's why the walkers are building up on the fences. It doesn't matter how quiet they are if they can smell them."

He could feel the way she was shaking in his grasp. He wasn't grasping her enough to hurt her though. Those emerald eyes stared at him with fear and alarm, but the golden hint of intrigue. What he was saying didn't seem to surprise her though.

"You have to mask it," He added on before he could lose her.

Her weight shifted more from her heels back to the center of her arches. Rick had talked about reinforcing the fences and increasing the rounds of the teams that killed the walkers at the fence. This was different.

"How?" She asked despite herself.

"Stop burning the bodies," Gabriel could smell the smoke coming through the windows when they burned them in the courtyard during the earlier morning hours, just before dawn. "You can use them as camouflage."

He went to explain, ignoring her increasingly appalled expression. "I know it's messy and it'll be dangerous at first. But you can dispose of them in the woods around the prison. Make a perimeter, let it build up. The smell of the dead will mask the living eventually and even make it harder for the strays to get closer."

"That's insane," Maggie muttered barely, wondering if she was as equally insane for even listening to this idea.

Gabriel bowed his head a little and shook it. "I know, but it could work… Sure, the stench will be something awful when the wind catches it wrong, but it won't entice them to the fence."

Maggie stared at him long and hard. He wished he could tell what she was thinking.

He didn't pay much attention to the fact that his grip loosened while he spoke. He was only reminded of it when she suddenly jerked her arm out of his grasp. The fabric of her jacket slipped through his fingertips.

She walked away from him abruptly. He was left with his hands around the bars, metal pressing into each cheek as he watched her. This time, she frequently looked over her shoulder at him with a deeply unsettled gaze.

* * *

Gabriel didn't see her for the rest of the day. He had thought for sure he scared her off. The simple fact was that he didn't see much of anyone for the rest of the day. The cellblock was very quiet, even the children seemed to be absent.

He didn't know about the story Maggie had learned afterwards of a different kind of camouflage used in Atlanta.

He figured he had crossed the line. She didn't come by her usual midday water drop off and the night was starting to wind down soon.

Gabriel wondered if he would ever stop sweating and how he could keep sweating. It just didn't seem like he drank enough water to. He spent the last hours of the day, lying on the cot and trying to conserve as much energy as possible.

Heavy thuds echoed into the cellblock. His eyes darted over to the entryway and he held his breath while he counted. Two cells, four cells, six and the pace were still steady. They were coming to him.

He picked up his feet and sat up to see Maggie appear in the entryway. She had a stony presence about her. She had been crying though. He could tell this time because he could still see the last tears at the corner of her eyes.

She had two bottles in her hand this time. To make up for the time she was away.

"Here," She said to him, passing the first one through the bars. He quickly met her and grabbed it appreciatively, his eyes searching full of wonder.

"I was outside all day," She didn't know why she felt she had to explain herself to him, but she did.

He noticed the bandage around the palm of her hand immediately. As she was passing the second one, his other hand wrapped quickly around her wrist.

Her breath hitched and her eyes widened. Her stomach dropped as she was pulled closer to the bars. She had to catch herself on one of them.

She didn't try to pull away, but he could tell that she was scared. "What happened?" He asked gently while his fingers pried the water bottle from her rigid hand.

Maggie swallowed thickly, "I just cut myself by accident."

He was relieved it wasn't a walker bite. Tossing the water bottle loosely behind him and onto the cot, he didn't take his eyes off her hand. Carefully, he turned her hand over with her palm upwards, he could see the faint stain.

"Burying the two people that are dead because of your idea," Maggie stated bluntly with venom in her voice.

She was angry.

She was angry with herself for listening to him and presenting it as her idea (it wasn't like Rick and Daryl would have listened if it came from Gabriel). She was angry about the questioning looks and comments she got from Glenn. She was angry because no matter how long they spent planning how they would do this, she still knew it wasn't Gabriel's fault it went wrong. She was angry those two people got scared and broke ranks.

Now they were dead.

And lastly, she was mad at herself because when he started to pull her hand up closer to his face – she didn't use the chance to slap him.

Instead, she just watched in agonizing trepidation what he was doing. For how rough his hands were, he held hers like it was porcelain. His thumb on her wrist moved in a small circle, trying to soothe her but only making her skin tingle further.

He brought her hand up to the side of his face, not quite touching it though. Without breaking eye contact, his lips brushed against the bandage with a feathery touch. Even though Maggie couldn't feel it, she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks all the same.

"I'm sorry," He whispered to her simply. For the loss, for the emotional struggle – she didn't know.

His fingers slipped off of her wrist before he took a step back from her. It was harder to see him in the shadows of the cell while he went back to his cot.

Maggie was left with her hand hanging in the air, falling slowly before retreating from the bars. She stepped back away from the cell, out of his sight.

He heard her stop midway through the cell block. She didn't see the way she was clutching her wrist, where his hand been and the torn expression as she stared back the stranger in cell number ten.


	4. Open Air

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M: The push and pull is spot on! Like gravity, it'll eventually come crashing together.

Most things are best enjoyed with a glass of wine! Please drop a review if you would be so kind!

* * *

Open Air

* * *

Five long days.

He wondered how real prisoners did it. There was only so much time he could spend staring at the cinder blocks, memorizing the imperfections and little cracks. Hell, he wondered how Andy Dufresne did it for over a decade before literally tunneling his way out.

It was taking a larger toll on Rocky though. She was sulky in the corner most of the time with nothing to do.

Gabriel figured even real prisoners spent more time out of their cells than they did.

"Margaret," He stopped Maggie gently. She shot him a small glare. The name still sounded formal and foreign to her.

Maggie's inside twisted uncomfortably at the way he always clutched at those bars, staring at her like she was the only beacon of reason.

"Do you think Rocky could be let out for a bit? To stretch her legs?" He felt comfortable enough with her at this point. Maybe she would be kind enough. She had extended it once already.

Maggie gave a nervous glance to the animal with her head tucked on her front paws.

"Even if it's just within the cell block?" Gabriel would take any bit of freedom for his friend at this point.

Maggie inhaled deeply with reluctance. For how quiet the pup had been over the last few days and complacent, she still remembered her first image of her. The pit-bull took Tyreese down in an instant with her jaws locked on his forearm. Gabriel was lucky the animal hadn't been shot then and there. Those powerful jaws only let loose when he shouted the command.

Tyreese's arm was still in a sling and Gabriel had insisted before they threw him in the cell that she only did it because Gabriel had been threatened.

"Is it even safe?" Maggie wondered and gave a side glance to the end of the block. Pass the block gate, there were several tables of people, including children hanging in the recess area. "Won't she run?"

"She's friendly," Gabriel assured. On a normal day, she was a sweetheart. "She'll come back as soon as I call her."

Maggie bit her lip, weighing it in her mind. She knew the dog should probably stay locked up after attacking one of her group.

But at the same time, she thought of what he said to her. Rocky didn't ask to be put in there. Maybe she was just being protective?

"I'll find Carl," She muttered before turning on her heel.

* * *

Maggie came back with the boy Gabriel figured that was Carl. He had seen him around before, usually following orders from the Sheriff. He was willing to bet Carl was his son. He had messy long dark hair with freckles that were starting to fade off his cheeks.

But don't let the freckles fool you, he was about as friendly as the pistol with the silencer that he had pointed in Gabriel's direction.

He vaguely heard Carl asking Maggie if this was a good idea when they approached. At the cell door, Carl passed the keys to Maggie while keeping the pistol trained on Gabriel. It was pretty fucking obvious who was allowed out and who wasn't.

The cell door rattled as it opened and Gabriel remained sitting on the cot with his forearms on his knees. Rocky rose up on her feet immediately. Carl and Maggie stepped back from the door to let her out.

There was a moment, she paused at the door and her ears twitched towards Gabriel, as if to say "Aren't you coming?"

He just smirked at his friend. She got impatient and trotted out immediately.

Maggie shut the door after her and locked the gate. Briefly, Gabriel thought he saw a twinge of guilt in her eyes.

Gabriel sat at the bars, leaning his shoulder against them. His lanky legs were sprawled out in front him and his fingers laced lightly on his knee. His head was leaning against the bar with a lazy grin on his features.

From his angle, he caught a glimpse of Rocky's tail in the air as she trotted around the room to each person.

She was so excited.

She barely stopped to sniff one person before moving onto the next. A few pets caught her head. She hung around the children longer. They always gave the best and most eager scratches. Her tongue hung out of her mouth, not because she was thirsty this time.

That little attention whore, he smirked to himself.

Maggie was standing against the wall opposite from his cell with her arms over her chest. The keys hung from her pocket. She watched the dog sparingly but most of the time her gaze remained on Gabriel.

There was something about the way he sat there, watching his friend. It was so simple, but oddly he seemed at peace for that brief moment. His eyes seemed a little less tired and weary. The faint grin made her wonder what a smile looked like.

"How old she is?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know, still a little bit of a puppy maybe," Gabriel replied honestly. "When things got bad, she came with this couple who rescued her. After they were… gone, she's followed us ever since."

Maggie's eyebrows rose with suspicion. "Us?" She repeated. She knew it. He had lied, he did have a group.

Gabriel nodded, still looking at Rocky. His tone felt a little hollowed as he spoke, "Yes, me and some of my classmates I escaped campus with… About three months ago, I got separated from them."

Or left behind, depending on how you looked at it.

He brought his eyes over to Maggie before adding on simply, "I never found them again."

When the time for Rocky's freedom was up, Gabriel let out a low whistle. Immediately, her ears perked up from the tummy rub that she was getting and she trotted back over to the cell.

Maggie took an apprehensive step back at the approaching pit-bull.

"Sitzen," Gabriel called out before she got too close. In a blink, she sank down to her rear with her nose in the air. Her ears twitched and her eyes bounced expectantly between Maggie in front of her and towards Gabriel where the call came from.

Maggie raised an eyebrow.

"Blebien," Gabriel reminded the pup in a firm tone while Maggie opened the cell door. Maggie hung by the door but made her she wasn't in the way at all.

"Kommen," Gabriel ordered, holding a hand out towards her. Rocky got up and sought out the ear scratching the gesture promised.

Maggie closed the door after her with an impressed expression. Apparently Rocky was well trained after all.

* * *

The group came by to move him out again. Gabriel figured it was just to clean the cell like they did frequently. He rose up to his feet begrudgingly. It was the part of the day he hated the most, being moved like a wild animal that would lash out at them in any second.

The leader was Rick, the Sheriff. The redneck with the crossbow hung not far behind him. Carl had the keys. This time he noticed Maggie hanging behind the three of them and the young blonde with the cleaning supplies gathered in her arms.

Carl opened the door and Gabriel chose to ignore the crossbow trained on him while he stepped out.

Instead of moving him down into the next cell, Rick gave a nod towards the block gate. "Let's go for a walk," He demanded more than suggested.

As they were walking through the cellblock, the redneck followed after them for security. Rocky trotted after them curiously, oblivious to the tension between them. Gabriel threw a glance over his shoulder at the weapon at one point. Seriously? That would be an embarrassing way to go after everything.

Gabriel had to squint and raise his hand to the sunlight when they stepped outside.

Rick led them towards the open field, which now had some crops growing and a pen for the various animals.

"There are a lot of people that depend on me to keep them safe here," Rick spoke as they crossed the courtyard. Gabriel noticed the field was mostly cleared out and the few people in the courtyard kept their distance.

"They trust me to make the right decisions," Rick stopped at the height of the gravel road, just past the guard tower and turned towards Gabriel. The prisoner kept his hands in his pockets casually while he followed Rick with a serious expression.

Rick put his hands on the belt of his pants while looking at Gabriel, scrutinizing him in the way those years of training taught him.

"They trust me to decide whether you're a threat to that safety or not," He said and Gabriel knew his eyes were really trying to gauge whether or not he could be trusted.

"And right now, I'm not sure where you stand," Rick said frankly. The initial impression wasn't good. One of his own got hurt. Yet, he had been completely cooperative ever since.

Gabriel stared back at him for a long time, not flinching or intimidated by him.

Finally, he just said, "I guess that's just something I'll have to work on then." He knew there wasn't a goddamn thing he could say today that he wouldn't be suspicious of.

His actions would have to speak for him in time.

* * *

Rick gave him a few minutes outside while they cleaned out the cell. What he really gave him was a few minutes to feel human again.

He didn't know that she was watching him with fascination.

Rocky ran around the open field, immediately checking out the animal pens and taking in the new smells. She never barked, which was impressive, but she had grown wiser from having to hide from walkers. She enjoyed the new space by extending her legs and sprinting around with excitement. She frequently doubled back eagerly towards Gabriel, as if trying to enticing him to run with her and play.

Maggie's eyes were on Gabriel as he stood on the top of that road for a long time.

He closed his eyes and raised his head towards the sun. The smile that slowly pulled on his face was the one of a man liberated by just the fresh breeze on his skin.

He felt free for a rare moment.

There was no foul stench of excrement or industrial must. Real sunshine fell upon his face. It didn't matter to him there were still walkers at the fence, scratching at the links to be let in.

For a moment, he had a little slice of heaven in the unruly tufts of grass in the field, the content clucking of the few chickens they had, and the insects noises carrying over from the woods.

Gabriel was on his knees in the grass next to Rocky when he noticed her. He was rubbing her stomach while the pit-bull twisted her spine to the left and the right, too excited to truly remain still.

Maggie was standing near the guard tower, openly watching him with a thoughtful expression.

The smile picked up just a little at the corner of his mouth.

Her lips twisted and for once not towards a frown.

But he didn't see completely what because the husband/fiancé stepped in front of her. He shot a scathing glare at Gabriel before murmuring something to Maggie. The smile slipped off Gabriel's face as he watched them.

The boy touched her shoulder and his body language was clearly trying to shepherd her away. The slow response of her feet mirrored the reluctance in her brow line.

They disappeared into the guard tower and Gabriel stared after the heavy door shutting.

Gabriel wondered what it was that happened to her to still raise her chin in defiance to the world while the boy tried to shelter her from it.


	5. That Smirk

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: Thank you! And I totally agree, rewatching the pharmacy scene yesterday just reinforces that feeling – it was so awkward and unromantic.

M: Stolen glances about sums it up! I'm curious to see what you think is going on with that connection after this chapter!

Read, relax and review!

* * *

That Smirk

* * *

Gabriel was let out of the cell on a conditional release. It wasn't like he had a hearing and was sent out on parole, but it sure felt like it. For the obvious reasons, he didn't get his sniper rifle back or any sort of weapon. He finally figured out where it was though. There was a cage where some of the less practical weapons or ones that needed to conserve their ammo was locked up.

Maggie wasn't there when he was released. In fact, he had a hard time even catching a glimpse of her all through the morning.

He wondered how much that protective husband/fiancé had to do with it.

The second part of his conditional release Gabriel noticed went unspoken. Even though they were letting him out of the cell, there was always someone around to keep an eye on him – inevitably one of the males. He paid them no attention, especially since Rick spent a good part of the morning showing him around the prison – where was safe to go and where he wasn't allowed to.

He only saw her during the two meal times that day.

Maggie sat down with her sister and Carol in the cafeteria for lunch. Her fork stirred around the hot mix absentmindedly while Carol and Beth chatted away the most.

Gabriel came from the other entrance of the cafeteria from the showers with the intentions of cutting through to head back to the cell block. There was a slight grin on his features. It was the first chance to privacy he had all day and there was something about a fresh shower that made his spirits infinitely better.

Fresh soap, smooth skin and scrubbing off the layers of grime and death – there wasn't much more he could ask for.

He had the bundle of his clothes tucked under his arm, he would have to figure out a way to wash them later. Some of the women had been kind enough to show him where the spare stash of clothing was kept in the meantime.

Maggie looked up from her plate and her fork stopped moving suddenly, seeing Gabriel crossing the north wall towards the other side of the cafeteria.

His eyes flickered over the room, spotting of the so-called Woodbury survivors and then her amongst the others. He halted right in his tracks at the mouth gaping expression of Maggie's.

Her fork was even hanging in the air.

Her expression caused Carol to turn around in her seat, looking directly at Gabriel, and Beth to follow suit. The table of women went completely silent.

It caused Gabriel to even look over his shoulder to make sure it was him they were gawking at.

"What?" He asked of all of them, but his eyes settled on Maggie.

In a stutter, Maggie forgot her manners and fumbled with just getting out, "You shaved…"

He looked more youthful and lighter than before. The thick, but short scruff that ran along his chin and down part of his neck was gone along with the light mustache.

Amusement replaced his confusion and he reflexively brought a hand up to his face, running over the now smooth skin where the hair had been.

Maggie was so wide eyed he couldn't tell if it was in a good or bad way.

"I could grow it out again, if you'd like," Gabriel suggested cheekily to Maggie, ignoring the looks from the blonde and older woman.

Give it a few weeks and it would be back no problem.

"What? No, I –" Maggie stopped herself, she put her head down and her fork stirred her food in agitation. She squeezed her eyes shut a moment and mumbled down at her food, "What does it matter what I think?"

It didn't matter. He was just some outsider and he didn't need her approval.

Nervously, Maggie looked back up when Gabriel didn't reply to her. He was still standing there though, not taking his eyes off of her.

His lips thinned and the corner picked up into that smirk. That damn smirk that was more pronounced than ever with the dimple on his cheek.

It stayed there too, with every moment that his eyes bore into her and even when he started walking again. She saw it until he turned towards the hall leading to the cell block, he threw one more glance over his shoulder before disappearing.

Carol turned around in her seat, back to the table with her eyebrows nearly in her hairline and an amused snicker.

After a moment, she said to Maggie, "I wonder what else he would do if you asked him to."

"Carol!" Beth hissed with a bashful hand over her mouth.

Maggie just shook her head with tense shoulders, staring down at her plate. The prongs of her fork scrapped loudly against the surface.

* * *

The cafeteria was the manifestation of Gabriel's theories. This was the largest group of people he had come across in a long time, perhaps since the initial outbreak. But he didn't think they had always been together. Those tables were the reincarnation of the high school clique.

There were the Woodbury survivors and many of them. They had their different little groups, which Gabriel still needed more time to figure them out. Some were more social than others. There was another smaller group, including Tyreese, who still gave a wary eye to the pit-bull sitting obediently at Gabriel's side.

He was the outcast of them all though. Even the redneck sat with Carol and Rick at one table.

Gabriel sat at the table in the farthest corner of the room. That way he had the wall to the back and could see anyone approaching him. The others stole frequently glances at him, but the only one that stared constantly was Rocky.

Gabriel leaned over from his seat and looked at her licking her chops. "Nah-uh," He muttered at her. "You had yours already, piggy."

The pup just cocked her head at him and let out a low whimpering noise.

Nope, not going to work. Gabriel went back to his plate, watching everyone from the corner of his eye.

Two tables away, he noticed the Asian boy, Glenn he had overheard his name during the morning, grab his food and head towards Maggie. She was sitting with a few of the chatter younger girls from Woodbury.

If he focused enough, he could hear the tail end of their conversation. They were chirper young girls, looking for something to take their minds off the daily chores.

Glenn put his plate of food down on the table. As he threw once leg over the bench to join them, he bent down and placed a kiss into Maggie's hair line. She gave a tight lipped brief grin at the gesture.

Gabriel thought it was more of a frown than anything else. She was always so serious, borderline sad.

"Look at that rock!" One of the girls with her back to Gabriel exclaimed, she leaned off her seat to get a better look at Maggie's hand.

"Are you two married?" Her sister asked of them with a broad smile. Based on her tone alone, Maggie could tell where the two twins were going with this.

"Yes."

"Engaged."

The two different responses caused the table to go awkwardly silent, the twins looking back and forth between the couple. Glenn was looking at Maggie with his mouth in a small 'o', confusion laced in his eyes.

Truthfully, as a couple they had never really talked about it. He gave her the ring. There wasn't a ceremony. Her father had long since considered Glenn and Maggie as a united front. He thought the ring spoke for itself.

"Well, uh…" Glenn recovered uncertainly. "Engaged to be married, right?" He looked at Maggie. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't asked her about it before either.

"Right," Maggie said quickly, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat, staring at the surface of the table.

While Glenn was wondering where the distinction had come from, Maggie looked up from under her eyelashes.

The twins exchanged a look and the one discreetly mouthed 'Awkward' to the other. Looking around the room, Maggie caught a glimpse of Gabriel in the corner. He was looking right at their table with that smirk on his face.

He didn't look away until Maggie forced herself to.

* * *

Gabriel's solitude was interrupted by Freckles. He was twelve, maybe thirteen years old, but he the set of a man. Carl put his plate down on the table opposite from Gabriel, his bright blue eyes unblinking while he slid into the seat.

Gabriel stopped in mid-chew, watching the boy's actions. Well hell, at least he kept the pistol in his belt this time.

Rocky sat on the floor with her front paws, glancing back and forth between the two – still hoping for a chance to catch any extra scraps.

"Where are you really from?" Carl asked the stranger with the odd accent.

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at the kid's bluntness. He admired his guts to approach the community appointed leper. He set his fork down before answering him, "Australia."

Carl thought for a moment before asking another question, "Are there walkers there?"

"I don't know," Gabriel replied calmly. He was aware of the fact some of the chatter died down in the cafeteria. Several more people were openly watching them. "But if I ever find out, I'll let you know."

"What about your dog?" Carl asked, looking down at the caramel colored creature.

"Rocky?" Gabriel clarified before smirking, "Nah, her skinny ass is from Newark."

A low whimper came from Rocky, seeing the two humans looking at her. At first appearance it seemed indignant before her tongue flopped out again over her chops.

Maggie tried to ignore the sour feeling in her stomach through the rest of her meal. She figured it was from that tense moment with Glenn and the apprehensive looks he was giving her. She frequently stole a glance over Carl and Gabriel – trying to ignore the niggling feeling while the stranger was talking to someone else.


	6. Silence Kills

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M: It does seem like there was a chance Maggie was jealous. Your last review made me think of the last line for this chapter!

And kudos to anyone that can pick up the reference to Rick/Lori this chapter.

Reviews make my day!

* * *

Silence Kills

* * *

It didn't take long for Rick to confront Gabriel. Truthfully, it was only a matter of time and he was looking forward to it. Maybe with this, he could become less of an awkward presence in the prison and a part of their functional system.

"We lost two of our own the other day," Rick said, "I'm sure you've seen the fresh graves."

Gabriel was lacing his boots up for the day, sitting on his cot. He just gave a curt nod. He remembered how upset Maggie was that day.

"And Tyreese's arm is going to be in a bad way for a while," Rick continued.

But Gabriel got the picture. He rose up to his feet after the last lace with a sigh.

"If you want me to pull my weight, just say so," Gabriel said frankly. "I'm willing to earn my stay here."

Rick regarded him coolly for several moments. Before the outbreak, he would have been suspicious of someone like Gabriel. He was the kind that could charm a snake if he wanted to. But right now there was no smirk on his features and his eyes were hardened by the same experiences they had gone through.

He just gave him a short nod and decided he would see how he held up to his word.

* * *

Somehow, it didn't quite surprise Gabriel he was put the manual and unpleasant labor. If it wasn't for the walkers that hung near the fences, he would have snapped about this being petty freshmen hazing. Instead, he held his tongue and dealt with horse shit.

Literally. Horse shit.

After dealing with the makeshift horse stalls, Gabriel was put to work by Carl on the trove for the pigs in the field. At least he wasn't as mad about it since it was Carl. The boy was straight and to the point. He wasn't a hot headed idiot that wasted time with condescending remarks or looks.

He had a feeling he would be put on the gritty jobs. He was a long way from being trusted with his rifle again and it mocked him every time he walked by the ammunition cage. He doubted he would be let out on a supply run with them any time soon. They didn't trust him yet with all the eyes on the prison on him, never mind just a few on the road depending on him to watch their backs.

It was those kind of thoughts Gabriel used to distract himself while he was kneeling on the ground, up to his elbows in decomposing rot. Not walker rot, but the food scraps rot that built up on the trove for the few pigs they were raising.

In the middle of that was the first time she approached him outside the jail cell.

Her boots crunched on the gravel before she strayed off towards the pig pen. She could hear the wood of the trove being scratched. She noticed the way his jaw was locked tightly and the muscles in his arms rippled from the force and movement.

He didn't stop when she came to stand next to him.

"Gabriel," Maggie said to him, trying his name for the first time on her lips.

The scrapper halted in its spot and he slowly picked up his head. Maggie's form casted a shadow over him, blocking out some of the sun.

"Here," She said simply and held out the plastic water bottle for him. There was no point for him to work until he passed out in this heat, she told herself. He didn't stop once all day for water, not that she had been paying attention.

The tension in his forehead eased up in appreciation. He set the scrapper down and pushed himself up to his feet.

He went to grab the bottle, but then stopped. "Would you mind?" He nodded down to his hands, the sludgy mess thick on his hands.

"Sure," Maggie mumbled and twisted off the cap for him.

"Thanks," He said gratefully before grabbing the bottle by the bottom. He took several deep gulps, his stomach clenching tightly on the liquid. As he was doing this, he noticed another first about her.

She stayed this time. Well, more like she took an anxious side step to glance over her shoulder around them while her fingers fidgeted with the cap. She was biting her lip in worry again.

Gabriel pulled the bottle away from his lips. "Hey," He said, drawing her attention back to him.

"Are you okay?" He cocked his head in concerned scrutiny. Maggie's brow furrowed at the vague question before he went on, "I heard what happened in the cafeteria…"

She inhaled sharply and folded her arms over her chest. "Yeah, you and half the cell block did," She muttered disgruntledly.

Her voice was sharp, but she wasn't looking at him when she said it.

Gabriel decided to be a little bold to figure out what exactly was bothering her. "The difference between being engaged and married is a quite miscommunication to make," He commented. Was she not invited to her own wedding or something?

Maggie let out a deep sigh, leaning her hips back a bit against the pig fence. "We never really talked about it," She said. Maybe she shouldn't have been saying anything, but she rarely had an unbiased ear – unlike Carol or Beth who have been with the group so long.

"No?" Gabriel urged after another sip.

"I mean," Maggie corrected herself, realizing it sounded awful when she said it like that. "We're always with each other… we just don't talk a lot." Glenn was always the first one there to hold her after a bad experience. And from day one, he's always been terrible at telling what she's thinking, but he would do anything for her.

Gabriel gave a snort of disbelief. "That's the worst crime right there," He muttered.

Maggie's eyes snapped back to him sharply. "Excuse me?" She said.

"That you don't talk," Gabriel replied bluntly. "The day you run out of things to say, it kills you."

Maggie's lips quivered as several emotions passed through her eyes. Shock that this stranger would say something like that, but it felt like a knife somewhere deeper.

"I don't think it's any of your business," She gave coldly and wondered why she even opened her mouth about her relationship.

"Good," Gabriel shot back.

"What?" Maggie couldn't have heard him correctly. She unfolded her arms and squared her shoulders to him.

"Disagree with me, go on," Gabriel egged her. Maggie jerked her head back, appalled.

He stepped closer to her, his height towering over her. "If it was me, I'd want you to disagree. Challenge me. Get mad. Even shout in my face if that's what it took," He shrugged his shoulders. "All of those things."

"Why?" Maggie wondered incredulously.

"Because it takes something to do those things – _passion_, even anger," Gabriel vaguely gestured over his chest. "But it takes something within… You care."

His voice dropped a little lower, catching himself at the fact it had risen in the first place. "When you stop talking… it's because you've stopped caring enough to fight. You've given up."

He would scream and shout every day if that's what it took to feel something. No, silence is what killed people. Even walkers are not completely silent.

The only silent ones have cross above their heads.

He was close enough to see the faint way her lips trembled. Her hands were clenched into tight fights and she bit harshly into the inside of her lip. Maggie blinked rapidly to keep herself calm.

She looked away from those dark amber filled eyes towards the few stray walkers at the fence. Maggie took half a step back from him.

While the conflict warred in her mind, Gabriel down the last of the bottle and held the empty plastic out to her. She briefly eyed it before taking it slowly.

Her eyes traveled up to his face again. "Yeah… word of advice," Her tone shifted to something more casual. "I would keep that theory to yourself around Michonne."

Gabriel had no idea who that silent spitfire was and Maggie knew that wasn't quite what he meant. She walked away from Gabriel, in slow distracted strides considering the value of what he said.


	7. Fenced In Truth

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: I'm glad you like the build up – I think it's definitely necessary since Maggie is engaged and thinks she's in love with Glenn.

M: Starting this chapter forward, they're going to have more chances to interact and get to know each other.

Can anyone name the movie referenced in this chapter? It was already mentioned before too.

* * *

Fenced in Truth

* * *

The first day Gabriel was able to get his hand on a crow bar brought a drastic change to his routine. At first, he knew it alarmed the other prisoners, especially amongst the first survivors. He didn't know that Rick had done something similar the first night they arrived at the prison for hours. But Gabriel didn't care, he figured the stares would eventually become bored and stop following him.

Every morning and every day at dusk, he would walk along the fences. He brought that crow bar with him and in no particular rush he would occasionally jam it through the fence at one of the stray walkers. It was the one of the few times of day he was alone to his thoughts.

Of course, he knew the person on watch had an eye on him from the guard tower.

His walks were long, sometimes stretching into two hours. He prowled the fence like a feline in captivity, but he felt no urge to go beyond it. The gnarled decomposing faces with rotten teeth snapping at the chain link were discouragement enough.

To the other survivors, he was about one step away from carrying a stone pick in his pocket and referring to Carl as Red.

He remembered the look he gave Carl when the boy plopped his tray down in front of Gabriel at meal time, the very next meal after interrogating him about where he was from.

"Really, kid?" Gabriel had to ask this time, refraining from actually calling him Freckles. That was a nickname probably better kept to himself.

"I'm sorry, were you saving this seat for someone?" Carl shot back in a sarcastic tone, gesturing down to where he was now sitting and the completely empty table around Gabriel.

Well, damn, he's a cocky little thing too.

Gabriel snorted and looked down at his food. "I guess not," He smirked.

"And I'm not a kid," Carl said while getting comfortable in the seat, which included taking the pistol holster off and setting it down on the table next to him.

Ain't that the truth.

There was something almost humorous about seeing a kid carrying a gun longer than his forearm.

"My mistake," Gabriel grinned. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to the rest of the cafeteria. Rick was watching them with a hint of amusement in his eyes. Sitting next to Glenn, who had a rather obnoxious arm around her waist, Maggie was looking over her shoulder at Gabriel while biting her thumb nail.

* * *

Maggie worked up the courage to approach him the second night of his walking. She let him get a head start. Honestly, she was spending that time giving herself a mental pep talk. It was okay to do this, she told herself.

She didn't really think he was dangerous, but it would be okay. Glenn was on guard in the watch tower and they were out in the open.

She had received a few whispering warnings to be cautious because they knew so little about him. Maggie hated some of the looks that she received. They were pitying and fearful ones, like if they expected the same thing to happen again at the first opportunity just because it happened once already.

They didn't know the truth of what happened that day, but she did.

Maggie had a piece of piping in her hand with a jagged edge when she marched herself down to the fences, between the two walls and into the security alley that Gabriel was wandering down.

He stopped in his paces at hearing her approach.

"Want some company?" She asked lightly, trying to ignore the way his eyes felt like they were studying her.

Gabriel's expression softened. "Sure," He replied. His eyes flickered down briefly to her hand. It was still wrapped in bandages. He wondered if she was okay to be doing this, but he figured she wouldn't come here if she wasn't and he wasn't going to insult her by telling her to be careful.

They were silent while Maggie fell into stride with Gabriel. She hung a few feet away from him.

It unsettled her, which Maggie found odd. She remembered the times her and Glenn went into town from the farm. She was silent most of the way there and she was okay with that. She was silent much of the time around him.

But right now, she wanted to hear Gabriel say something. She wanted to know more about him and she felt the urge manifest by opening her mouth.

"What are you doing out here?" Maggie asked after pausing to jab the pipe through the fence before yanking it brutally out of the neutralized walker.

"Just clearing my head. Thinking about things," Gabriel answered vaguely, his eyes wandering along the tree line. The grass was tall and swampy around the creek that ran close to the prison fence. He could hear the croaking of frogs coming from the marsh.

"Like what?" Maggie pressed while taking a few steps ahead of Gabriel's slow pace.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Home," That he thought about less and less. He knew by now there was little chance of his mother and father having survived this long. "This prison," He spent a long time studying it and the people. He left the most important one for last, "But mostly you."

Maggie's feet scuffled in the gravel from stopping. She bowed her head with a disbelieving twisted smile on her face. She shook her head. The boldness of him!

"You don't mean that," She said without turning around. She could hear his crow bar going through the fence and the moaning of a walker being reduced to a gargle and crunch.

"Sure I do," Gabriel smirked and recovered the steps between them.

Maggie picked her head up, the smile slipping off into a sobering expression. That smirk caused her stomach to twist.

With a deep inhale, she resumed their path and made a very pointed side step to put a little more distance between them.

Gabriel continued to smirk, thinking he was rather starting to enjoy making her flustered.

They came around the far corner from the guard tower and they were making their way back to towards the prison when she worked up the courage to speak again. Admittedly, the silence was just to push the thoughts of his declaration out of her mind.

"Why haven't you told anyone the truth about that day?" Maggie asked bluntly. "They think you attacked me."

Gabriel frowned slightly and glanced towards the prison. "Would it really make a difference?" He didn't see how they would treat him any less of an outsider because of it.

"Of course," Maggie figured the truth always made a difference.

"Even I told them and they somehow believed me, do you really think that'll make them trust me?" Gabriel countered instead, looking frankly at Maggie. In a way, she had become his bridging point between him and the group. She was a part of this group, but he could talk to her. She was different.

And she was smart.

"No," Maggie sighed, knowing after everything that has happened to them, it was a miracle to get Rick to trust Tyreese and Sasha – they hadn't even done anything to earn mistrust in the first place.

"What about you?" Gabriel turned it around on her. "You could tell them." They would actually listen to her.

Maggie inhaled sharply and her shoulders stiffened at that thought.

"I don't think so," She muttered while her mind thought back to the memory of that day.

She remembered the panic and the ghastly groping of the creature. She remembered it pulling on her hair, yanking her head back. Then it was ripped away.

A hand helped her up. She leaned back against a tree trunk for support while she tried to calm her hyperventilating. When she stood upright, honey glazed amber eyes were staring back at her.

"I think that would create more problems than it would solve," Maggie said. Because then she would have to admit to Glenn what happened after that – why she didn't scream and shout or push Gabriel off of her.

She would have to tell him about the way he stared at her and she him. She would have to tell about the fingertips that gently brushed the hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

Right before Tyreese came up on Gabriel's back and Rocky ripped into his arm.

"Too bad," Gabriel's voice brought her back to reality. They had stopped walking and he was looking over her shoulder.

"It would be nice to have your boyfriend stop pointing that gun at me," He said.

Maggie spun on her heel, her eyes searching the top of the guard tower. Sure enough, Glenn had been set on edge the moment he saw Maggie walking towards Gabriel. He didn't have his finger on the trigger, but Gabriel was within his scope and the message was pretty fucking clear.

"Jesus Christ," Maggie swore under her breath. Had he lost his mind?

If not, she was going to give him a piece of hers.

"Margaret," Gabriel stopped her before she stomped too far away from him. She looked over her shoulder with a lethal venom in her hues, which he knew wasn't directed at him.

"If you're awake tomorrow… I'll wait for you," He offered.

Maggie regarded him for a moment, taking a deep breath to answer him calmly. "I'd like that," She nodded curtly and then turned to march towards the guard tower.

A slow smirk rose on Gabriel's face while he watched her aggressively slam the door shut behind her.


	8. Bed Hog

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: I actually did pick Gabriel for that reason, I'm not overly religious but I've always been interested in the name Gabriel. And maybe someday Freckles will slip. ;)

M: They definitely had a moment there and they'll start to have more and more. Here's another Rocky filled chapter.

Reviews are love!

* * *

Bed Hog

* * *

Gabriel didn't see Maggie the next morning. He waited outside by the gate to the exercise field, but she didn't come. Somehow he had a feeling that would happen, especially with the low and vicious whispering he heard carry through the cellblock that night.

That was the other problem with the prison; privacy.

There wasn't a lot of it. Even the bathrooms were designed for communal bathing, which Gabriel tried to go during the off hours. Then at night, when the lights were out and everyone was settling into their cots – you heard everything.

You had to whisper to have any semblance of a quiet conversation, otherwise your voice carried and echoed off the walls for everyone to hear.

Gabriel ate his breakfast in his cell that morning. It wasn't that he didn't want to put up with Freckles, but it was everyone else he wasn't in the mood to deal with. The kid still followed him around occasionally and Gabriel didn't mind the company so much.

* * *

Maggie sighed, flipping through the worn out pages of the book from her and Glenn's cell bed. A frown was deep on her features, still worn out from the argument she got into with Glenn the previous night. She wasn't much in the mood for doing anything really today.

A part of her felt bad for blowing off Gabriel, but that really wasn't going to make anything better at this point.

She had tried to seek him out at breakfast, but the message was clear when he wasn't there. Maggie wished it didn't bother her as much as it did.

You're just upset from arguing with Glenn, she tried to convince herself.

Her eyes were staring blankly at the words on the page and she didn't pay much attention to the pattering and scratching noise on the floor.

She didn't notice it until she startled from the mattress giving and the blur of caramel fur jumping up on the bed. "Ofmph," Maggie grunted as a few paws walked over her in the process of exploring the two cots pushed together.

"Rocky!" Maggie groaned, barely dodging a tail to the face before the pup spun around at the call of her name.

"What are you doing?!" Maggie tried to fight the smile and avoid the tongue and saliva hanging out of her mouth.

Rocky sniffed at her face a few times before pacing in a tight circle. Maggie shook her head at the dusty paw prints on the top of her comforter. The pit-bull flopped herself down rather unceremoniously on Glenn's side of the bed, her legs sprawling out and taking up a good bulk of the space.

"Well, I'm glad you're comfortable," Maggie said to the ear twitching-doe eyed creature. Despite herself, she just grinned and shook her head. One hand reached out and scratched the pup along the ears.

It wasn't long before she heard the heavy boots thudding up the center stairs.

"Rocky?" Gabriel's voice sounded while he peered inside each cell down the row. He had thought he saw the fur ball disappear somewhere this way.

He reached the last one and was about to turn around before he spotted Rocky with Maggie lying on her back, the half abandoned book in her hand.

Gabriel let out a sigh. "Sorry about that," He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've tried to keep her out of the cells…" It was the only private space for people. So much for that effort.

"It's fine," Maggie dismissed and put the book down to pet Rocky with both hands. She fixated on the pup, partly to help ignore the way Gabriel's eyes openly passed up and down her.

"You're a bit of a diva, aren't you?" Maggie said to Rocky, who just sat there like she owned the damn bed.

"You have no idea," Gabriel replied to Maggie, relaxing and leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"It's a pretty nice setup you have here," Gabriel commented honestly. He was a little envious of the debunked beds. With his height, he would love to be able to stretch out and not have to worry about falling off when he rolled over.

"Yeah, we try to make the best of it," Maggie said, watching Gabriel reach out lightly and touch the bed sheet that was hung on some string at the bars. The privacy sheet was another nice touch he admired.

Glenn had followed closely after when he saw Rocky trotting off towards the cellblock and Gabriel hot on her heels. He knew Maggie was back in the cell block, which is why he took the stairs two at the time to get the upper level.

His pace quickened when he saw Gabriel leaning in the entryway of his and Maggie's cell.

Hearing the quick and heavy boots, Gabriel casually looked up and the smirk on his face fell off into a stony glare.

"Maggie?" Glenn called out and stopped when he spotted her. "What are you doing?"

Maggie sighed and pulled her hand back from scratching Rocky's tummy. The pup twisted her head at the sudden lack of attention.

"What does it look like?" Maggie snapped out in irritation as she stood up slowly. Christ, his tone made it sounded like he caught her giving Gabriel a lap dance. Gabriel wasn't even standing in the actual cell!

Glenn opened and closed his mouth, struggling to think of something to say that wouldn't make him look like the ass. He shot a glare at the impassive expression from Gabriel.

"Come on, Gabriel," Maggie demanded before Glenn could think of anything. Rocky rolled over and onto her feet as Maggie started to exit the cell.

"I'll show you where we keep the linens," She said and reached out to grab Gabriel's wrist in the process, silencing any objection.

Gabriel's eyebrows rose and he let Maggie drag him away. It wasn't like he would object. Maggie shot a glare at Glenn and Gabriel gave him a smirk behind her back.

Rocky trotted after the pair, sparing no interest for Glenn. His stomach dropped as quickly as the cell cleared out.

Glenn ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he watched the two leave. After the fact, he realized he sounded too protective, but what else was he supposed to do?

His gut instinct was telling him something was going on. If he left it alone, then something definitely would go on. If he didn't leave it alone, he was put in a position like this.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

* * *

"You can let go of my wrist now," Gabriel finally spoke up when Maggie led them through the doors into the industrial laundry room.

It was borderline amusing to him, how tightly she kept that grip on his wrist with those brisk and feisty steps. His long strides made it easy enough to keep up with her.

"Oh, right," Maggie mumbled bashfully and dropped her hand immediately. She had been fuming at Glenn and forgot about it.

Gabriel rolled his wrist while she went over to some of the cleaned up shelving units. The room was cleaned out and restored as much as they could. It hardly looked like the same room that was overrun with walkers when they first arrived.

Gabriel smirked, "Strong grip though." Not that it hurt him, but he was a little impressed.

Maggie shook her head and started pulling out some blankets from the shelf. "Here, you can use these and borrow some tools from Carl to debunk those beds," She explained, piling them up for Gabriel to take.

Casually, he leaned next to the washer unit by the shelf and tucked his thumbs lightly into his pockets.

"Sheets," Maggie added some of the linens onto the pile.

She bent down and searched through the shelf before pulling out more off-shit cottons, "Pillow cases…"

Placing the last item on the pile, Maggie realized it was the first time they were alone together. The silence was the reminder and it weighed down on her heavily, just like the way she was feeling subconscious from the way he was watching her.

Her hands lingered on the pile and Gabriel didn't make any move to take it. He was enjoying watching the conflicting emotions on Maggie's face.

"Gabriel," She wished his name didn't fall so easy off her lips. "You _have_ to stop looking at me like that, especially in front of my fiancé." Her eyes pulled towards him, trying to show the emphasis and determination.

Instead, he just gave her that damn smirk. "Like what?" He challenged, feigning innocence.

She wanted to smack that smirk off his face. "You know exactly what I mean," She said in a low and forceful tone.

She knew the way he was looking at her around the prison. Hell, she even heard the other women making comments about it and received careful glances from the men.

He could figure out the rest of his things on his own, she decided. Maggie took a pointed step around him to head back the way they came.

Gabriel's gaze dropped to the floor in thought a moment before he called after her retreating form smugly, "You know, to notice me looking at you… that means you were looking back."


	9. Advantage Only

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

There will be unspecific time jumps starting this chapter.

aSprightlySoar: Thank you! Pretty soon that attention is going to start causing some problems, too.

M: Haha oh snap is right. I'm not sure if this ending is as snappy, but I think you'll like it!

Reviews make me smile.

* * *

Advantage Only

* * *

Gabriel didn't like this one bit. He frowned with his arms folded over his chest while he stood at the top of the travel road in the exercise field. The bodies had started to pile up again, it was time to move them into the woods. He watched the group of people heading down to the main gates to get the job done. They had one pickup truck, which could only go so far in the woods. Otherwise it was tarps and wheel barrels for the rest.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Gabriel said out loud. Among the people in the group were Glenn, Maggie, Rick, Daryl, Sasha and another woman… Carey or Karen, he couldn't remember the name.

Carl stood next to Gabriel, wearing the oversized Sheriff's hat in the bright sun. "My day hasn't started until I have one," He answered dryly. Over the time Gabriel spent with the boy, he learned he could have a bitter bite to his words on occasion.

"I mean it," Gabriel insisted, even just pushing aside his bias when it came to Maggie. "There's two less people than last time," He pointed out, after all they got bit.

"And Tyreese is still out," Carl added on.

Gabriel sighed with his thoughts. "If only I could get on the roof…" He muttered more to himself.

Carl cocked his head oddly, peering up at Gabriel from under the brim of the hat. "The roof?" He wondered.

* * *

It was taking longer than they wanted to. Rick and Daryl kept having to break ranks to take out the stray walkers, attracted by the noise and humans. Even Maggie and Glenn had to weigh in while they loaded the bodies up. It was gruesome and disgusting work, it didn't help having the moving ones adding pressure.

Call them as you see them, Rick had told them from the beginning. They were starting to wonder when he could call for them to retreat. It was getting too risky.

"Four coming in on your left," Glenn called out to Rick.

The Sheriff turned and stepped forward to them. They were closing in with their shuffle and he had a hard time weighing which one to go after first. By the time he got the first one, the second one was close enough to be on top of him.

Rick raised his machete in the air and gritted his teeth fiercely.

There was a series of soft pops in the air. Fragile bone cracked and blood splattered into the air.

Rick stumbled to a halt and blinked. His mind barely processed seeing the first walker drop before the second one did. The head jerked back on the third and the fourth was the last to fall.

"What the fuck?" Daryl grunted out from behind Rick.

Rick turned back to the prison abruptly, squinting back at the cell blocks. He could barely make out the small form standing on the roof next to a huddled one.

* * *

"Whoa, nice shot!" Carl exclaimed, pulling the binoculars away from his eyes. He looked down next to him, probably the only time he would be able to look down at Gabriel.

The prisoner was laid out on his stomach on the rooftop of the cellblock. The long barrel of the black sniper rifle in his hands gleamed in the sunlight. Between the fitted silencer and the scope, this gun was practically his baby.

He didn't pull his eye away from the scope while he pulled the trigger on two more walkers off Sasha's flank.

All of the sudden, Carl wasn't feeling as bad about going behind his father's back and letting Gabriel into the ammunition cage.

"Thanks," Gabriel muttered, the scope drawing from Sasha over to Maggie. "Now shut up," He said, needing his concentration.

* * *

"One walker right, I got it!" Maggie shouted out, turning her back from the wheel barrel. Sasha and Glenn were loading up the last corpse into it before it would go into the woods with Daryl and Rick.

The lone walker was dragging its leg behind him, having barely gotten through the thick marshy grass. His head was cocked at an odd angle and the clothes were torn, but still vaguely resembled a business suit.

It was just the one and she had a straight shot to him. With her machete at her side, Maggie took two strides forward and tightened her grip on the handle.

Two more strides remained between them before there was a small crash.

The head was almost torn from the shoulders and the walker fell into his own shoulders.

Maggie skidded to a halt, feeling her momentum die as quickly as the gravity pulled the corpse to the ground. She grounded her teeth together tightly in frustration.

* * *

No one got bit this time. Gabriel remained on the roof, providing as much cover for the humans at the fence that he could. The body clean up took up most of the day, but at least it was done. The crew around the fences was exhausted and covered in walker grime by the end of it. Gabriel stood back at the top of the gravel road when they came inside. He kept the sniper rifle strapped over his back. Carl remained with him.

Rick led the way and even then Gabriel found himself looking past at Maggie, who's feet were dragging but there was still a fire in her eyes.

"Carl, a word?" Rick said to his son, gesturing for him to step aside with him. Carl gave a glance back to Gabriel before he did, only imagining the ear chewing he was about to receive.

The others filed back into the cell block and Gabriel lingered outside. A few gave a nod in his direction, to his surprise.

Maggie wasn't one of them, she marched right past him without looking up. It caused Gabriel to frown and stare after her.

"That was some pretty impressive shooting," Rick interrupted him from his thoughts after the quick word with Carl.

"Thank you, sir," Gabriel said stiffly, turning to the Sheriff. He stood in his classic manner, hands on his belt. He seemed like he was in less of interrogation mode this time, though.

They stared at each other tensely a moment before Gabriel sighed. He swung the rifle off of his shoulder. "I imagine you want this back," He reluctantly held the weapon out towards Rick.

Rick looked down at it before shaking his head. "Nah, keep it," He said. Gabriel could shoot it better than any one of them could, hence why they locked it up. Quite frankly, he wasn't sure all of them would have made it back without him today.

Gabriel's brow furrowed hesitantly and he pulled his hand back, shifting it back on his shoulder.

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Rick asked.

"Necessity, mostly," Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. Feeling some of the tension easing up between them, he felt a little more comfortable in disclosing, "And hunting back home… Although the game is a little different here in the States."

* * *

He felt like she was avoiding him. She went and showered immediately after the task. Somehow, she managed to grab some food while avoiding him too.

Gabriel finally caught up with Maggie at the caged overpass between the two cell blocks. She was standing there in the middle, watching the sun starting to disappear into the horizon with her arms folded tightly over her chest.

Gabriel approached her carefully, leaving the last few feet between them out of respect. He didn't have a smirk on his face this time. Instead, it was genuine concern and confusion.

"You're mad at me," He realized and Maggie refused to turn her head towards him. "Why?"

"I had that walker just fine," Maggie snipped out shortly.

"Excuse me?" Gabriel was at a loss this time. He thought he could pick her apart pretty easily, but not this time.

"You didn't need to shoot that walker. I had him in front of me just fine!" Maggie's voice rose with agitation, turning towards Gabriel.

"You're mad at me because I shot a walker to protect you?" Gabriel could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"No, I'm mad because you didn't give me a chance to take care of myself," Maggie was so frustrated. It wasn't just Gabriel either. It was Glenn, too. What was with these men? Now she understood why Andrea was so frustrated back at the farm, feeling helpless.

Gabriel's mouth fell open and for a long while he felt like a gaping fish.

Maggie's eyes burned fiercely, like a green acid while she waited for him to say something. His head shook a slight fraction as he visibly processed it. He shot that walker to keep her safe, but at the same time implied she wasn't capable of doing it herself.

"You're right, I'm sorry…" He whispered finally. "I was in the zone and didn't think…"

Maggie squared her shoulders, letting out a sigh. The stubborn irrational side of her was still mad, of course, but at least Gabriel was being mature about it.

She just nodded shortly and moved to walk past him, back towards the cell block.

"Advantage only," Gabriel's voice stopped her at the door.

"What?" Maggie turned back to him.

Gabriel's gaze picked up from the ground as he became surer of his thoughts, voicing them aloud, "I won't shoot them again_, only_ if you have the advantage."

He took the chance to close the distance between them, making sure she was looking him in the eyes and really understanding where he was coming from.

"If I can see that you have it and I really believe you can do it, I won't shoot them. But, not if you're outnumbered or I even have a _moment_ of doubt," Gabriel stepped right up to her, even in her stubbornness she still raised her chin and didn't back away from him.

"Because I will _never _just sit back and watch you get bit, okay?" Gabriel promised.

Maggie felt taken back by his tenacity and thrown by the proposal, but struck by how fiercely he meant it. "Okay," She murmured faintly.

Gabriel nodded, reaffirming, "Advantage only."

Maggie nodded, feeling remarkably subdued by the compromise. Before she could say anything further, Gabriel moved towards her. She tensed and her breath hitched reflexively at the arms wrapping around her.

At the height of her held breath, she opened her eyes and found her chin on his shoulder. Her small frame was pulled against his. Several painstaking moments went by with Gabriel holding her before Maggie's hands slowly wrapped around his waist and rose up to his shoulder blades. He could smell the shampoo in her hair and felt the way her body shook.

She felt her heart pounding against his chest for an array of reasons.


	10. Pretty Boy

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Here's a quiet chapter before things get more intense!

Thank you so much M and aSprightlySoar – I definitely think Glenn should take some notes from Gabriel!

I wonder if there should be a ship name for the Gabriel/Carl friendship…

* * *

Pretty Boy

* * *

Gabriel finally figured out who Michonne was and he had one thing to admit. She had flare.

She rode in the prison on a galloping brown horse. Her approach caused shouting from the guard tower and Rick taking off towards the main gate with Daryl and Carl in tow. Even some of the younger children got riled up, speaking to her reputation.

Gabriel remained in the courtyard, near the cellblock while she came in, choosing to remain quiet with his hands in his pockets.

The main gate was really two different constructed gates now. Gabriel wondered how the first one got blown out, but it wasn't something the survivors liked to talk about. Now it was a tricky combination of opening the first gate, letting the galloping horse in and closing it before too many walkers got in.

She stepped off the horse and in one swoop pulled the samurai sword out from its sheath on her back and took the head off a walker. Rick and Daryl cleared the few stragglers that got in before they opened the second gate and really allowed her inside.

From the other survivors standing around, Gabriel overheard how she had gone out before his arrival to scout out the area and this Woodbury place. They were chattering with mixed eagerness and apprehension at what became of the place.

He wondered why she was allowed to go out alone, but seeing her take those walkers down made sense. She was fast and efficient, but most of all; quiet.

* * *

Maggie shook her head, feeling like she was going crazy. The arrival of Michonne was a welcomed distraction for her. Just for a while, she fixated on the anxiety of finding out what Michonne discovered and how that would affect the group.

Of course, she would have to talk to Rick, Hershel and some of the other men before the rest of the prison would find out.

Therefore, it wasn't long before everyone went back to their duties. It wasn't long before her mind went wandering back to him.

Not her fiancé on the guard tower, but the stranger with the pile of scraps in the courtyard.

She cocked her head in thought at the way he was trying to assemble them into some sort of contraption. It was mostly pieces of piping and jagged scrap metals, nothing they had found any use for yet.

Maggie sighed. Was it possible to overanalyze a hug? She wondered. It wasn't that she was normally the type to do so, but he had caught her off guard the other day. She had found herself clutching into his shoulders, feeling overwhelmed by the body heat that radiated off of each other in the thick summer air, but she didn't push away.

She froze. She just stood there, trying to understand his thoughts, but only hearing his breathing next to her ear. Each moment made her nervous, in an excited sort of way, because she had no idea how to handle it.

Maggie blinked, trying to shake those thoughts away from her mind for the thousandth time. Instead, she approached Gabriel with his back to her while he was crouched on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Maggie finally had to ask.

Gabriel paused, wiping his forehead against the back of his hand before squinting up at her. He thought it seemed rather obvious, but he wasn't going to insult the blank expression. "Building a land shark," He announced with a grin, almost proudly. "At least… for walkers," He added on.

"A land shark?" Maggie repeated dubiously, raising an eyebrow.

Gabriel stopped, "Well… that's what I called them when I was kid." He rubbed the back of his neck, actually not sure what they're really called. "Anyway, we can put them around the fence."

"I don't follow…" Maggie said hesitantly. It didn't look like there was much rhyme or reason to it, never mind a name.

"Have you ever seen Saving Private Ryan?" Gabriel asked and continued on, despite the lack of reaction from Maggie. "The Normandy invasion – the reason the Allied forces could barely get any artillery or tanks on the beach were because of these." He gestured towards his version, although less impressive and unfinished.

"Same idea," He explained with a shrug. "But for walkers, a couple of these around the prison could ease some of the pressure off the fences."

Maggie's brows furrowed as she thought about it. She briefly wondered what exactly it was that he studied before everything went to hell.

Instead, she dropped her arms from being folded over her chest and offered, "Want a hand?"

* * *

Little did they realize, a conversation took a similar turn to the one they just had. Michonne stepped out from the cellblock after her meeting with Rick and Hershel. She took a chance to get some water and something in her stomach.

Even though she was exhausted from riding the horse back to the prison, she was still able to stand on her feet and therefore keep moving. She was a determined woman with a constant hard set expression. The whites of her eyes were pronounced in contrast to her ebony skin, and always moving about to take her environment.

She was curious about what happened while she was about, but she wasn't the type to normally gossip like a schoolgirl. She made her direct and to the point questions.

Her weaknesses were hidden by her squared shoulders, long dreadlocks that covered the back of her neck and shoulders, and the sword she never kept more than an arm length away.

Michonne caught up with Daryl and Carl by the guard tower. The redneck gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"You good?" Daryl grunted out, in a rare moment of concern saved for a select few.

Michonne just gave him a look and that was the closest thing to a nod from her.

They were quiet while Michonne glanced around the prison, noticing the small differences. Finally, her eyes settled on the courtyard, where Maggie and Gabriel were working on his "land shark".

"What do you think they're making?" Carl wondered aloud, following Michonne's gaze and asking what was on the minds of several people that took notice of them.

"An obstacle," Michonne said knowingly, recognizing the form that was slowly being built.

"An obstacle for what?" Daryl bit out from behind his thumb nail, not quite understanding where it was going.

Michonne gave one curt motion of a nod before looking down at Carl. "You remember that friend of your dad's?"

Carl squinted at her briefly before she clarified, "And what he did to that street?"

"Morgan," The boy supplied when he recalled the name. He remembered how crazy he was and the scribbling on the walls of the apartment he was hiding out in. More importantly, there was the entire street town that he had booby trapped.

And right now, the contraption that Gabriel and Maggie were rigging up looked a lot like the ones he had setup. The walkers just ran right into them, too dumb to go around them and stuck until someone cleared them off.

Michonne had to admit it was resourceful, but she wondered why this stranger was trying to help them.

"What's the story with pretty boy?" She asked, looking more towards Daryl for answers. It wasn't often they had newcomers, never mind that was young and attractive enough to be causing a chatter among many of the females.

He shrugged his shoulders, shifting the crossbow slightly on his back in the process. "Not much to say, we were combin' the woods," He rubbed his chin, only being able to recall what he was told since he didn't actually see it.

"Heard Maggie screamin' and Tyreese took off after her," Daryl still wasn't sure how Maggie got separated. "Screamin' stopped by the time he got there, but then this guy had her up against a tree. Tyreese pulled him off, knocked him to the ground."

Daryl then paused in his words and his eyes sought out the caramel pup near the inner fence. He pointed the creature to Michonne, "His dog ripped his arm open before we got there and he called her off."

Daryl looked back towards Maggie, trying to lash up some of the scraps together with rope. "Pretty sure he still has it out for her," He mumbled. Everyone knew it. They saw the way Gabriel was always watching her.

It almost went without say that everyone tried to keep tabs on Maggie and eye on him. For her safety.

Michonne was silent. She watched the two interact. Daryl and Carl weren't the ones to rush her for her opinion either.

She found it curious, as an outsider that hadn't seen what was going on or how he came here, she was the closest thing to a fresh pair of eyes.

"Let me ask you something," Michonne proceeded rhetorically before saying in a reserved and careful tone.

Michonne calculated the quick glances Maggie was giving Gabriel from the corner of her eyes and the lip tucked under her front teeth.

"Does she look like someone who's afraid of being attacked?"

Michonne had her enemies, some better than others, but she would never hide a small smile behind her hand when one of them nudged her with an elbow like the way Gabriel before them to Maggie.

Daryl cocked his head oddly at that, openly staring at the two while Michonne walked away. Little did Michonne realize Pretty Boy would end up sticking to Gabriel.

That night, word spread around about two supply runs; one to scavenge what was left at Woodbury and another to a grocery store.


	11. Miracle Decisions

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Thank you, M and aSprightlySoar! Of course with Maggie being engaged, all the time she's starting to spend with Gabriel is bound to cause some problems now…

* * *

Miracle Decisions

* * *

Rick made the announcement at dinner that night. Gabriel sat in his corner table with his company of Rocky and Freckles when it went down. He talked about Woodbury, Gabriel tried to follow it as best as he could.

He said the walls were compromised and it wouldn't be safe to inhabit. But, Michonne had spent a good deal amount of time there. The walkers had moved on. She scoped out the supplies that could be raided from it, including a few vehicles. The most exciting one was the solar panels though.

One of them had been damaged in the fight, but the rest she stashed away, just ready to be picked up. Obviously she wasn't going to strap them to a horse and bring them back. They would go out with two pickup trucks and gather the supplies.

The second run was to a grocery store. It was overrun and would be a challenge to get inside. Because of that fact, Michonne believed it to be largely untouched. Most looters would just overlook and move on, not willing to risk it.

However, their group was large and organized. Rick declared they would take volunteers for both runs and give them until dinner the next day to decide. Woodbury they would leave for in two days, after clearing the fences, and the grocery store run would depend on the success of Woodbury.

Gabriel didn't bother entertaining the idea of going with them to Woodbury. He was grateful enough to have his rifle back, even if it was kept in his cell block most of the time. He wasn't going to push it.

It didn't stop him from lying on his bed thinking about it, though. At least until she came by, maybe the water habit was hard to break.

"You can sit down, you know," Gabriel pointed out, when she kept standing there in silence. She was biting her lip, something was obviously on her mind. It didn't take a genius to figure out what.

Maggie fidgeted at first, glancing over her shoulder to see who was watching. Apparently she decided it was safe enough before she stepped inside his cell.

She approached the two cots pushed together in the far corner. He was lying on his back with his hands tucked his head, but there was still plenty of room at the edge of the bed for her to sit. So she did, hesitantly with her hands in her lap.

His head was to her right and she felt his eyes watching her.

He thought about asking her why she was there, but his gut told him that would just scare her off. Heck, he knew that he was drawn to her and now he was starting to think she felt the same draw.

"Are you going to Woodbury?" He asked her instead.

Maggie shook her head doubtfully, "I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Gabriel frowned, pushing himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her.

Maggie inhaled deeply, her shoulders stiffening. He didn't know about the memories that he was stirring up by asking.

"It wouldn't be because you can't," Gabriel tried to reason it out loud.

"What do you mean?" Maggie cocked her head slightly at him.

A smirk appeared on his lips, "You didn't survive this long sitting around folding laundry and making the bed." She was more than capable in his mind. Heck, she was brave enough to be wandering around in those woods by herself, never mind with the group at this Woodbury place.

Maggie couldn't help but snort a little. "It's not that simple, though…" Her voice trailed somberly.

"It's because someone else doesn't want you to go," Gabriel realized, it dawning on his expression.

Based on her reaction, he knew who. "Glenn doesn't want you to go…"

Maggie sighed, but didn't say anything. A part of her knew it was wrong to be having this conversation with Gabriel before Glenn, but she was avoiding because she knew it wasn't going to be a good one.

"Do you want to know what I think?" Gabriel broke her from her thoughts.

She looked back to him and nodded, "Yes." Even though she didn't admit it, that's why she came in here.

"I don't know what happened that is causing everyone to walk on glass around you, but I think its bullshit he's holding you back," Gabriel said bluntly. The effect of his words was obvious in the way her mouth hung open slightly. "If you really think you're strong enough to do it and you want to go, you should go."

"This world needs people with courage, not ones afraid of their own shadow," He said finally.

* * *

Gabriel knew what he said was out of line and not his place to. He didn't regret it, but he knew it would come back to haunt him.

It happened the next day at lunch. Gabriel had barely sat down, he was the first one to his table, before the storm of heavy boots steps and angry black eyes.

Glenn marched with a fury straight for Gabriel.

The stranger spotted him coming and his veins ran cold, sensing the tension immediately. Reflexively he rose to his feet as Glenn came closer.

"Stay the hell away from my fiancé," Glenn snapped out and his hands shoved against Gabriel's shoulders. It wasn't enough to knock him back, but get the point across.

The room went silent immediately from his shout.

"What the hell?" Gabriel shrugged his hands away, taking a step back just to get the shorter man out of his face.

"You heard me! I've enough of you following her around, talking in her ear," Glenn stepped up again, going almost nose to nose with Gabriel. "Like some sort of obsessive creep."

His eyes narrowed on him before growling out lowly, "I suggest you back off, little man." He could tell he was fired up and probably irrational, but he didn't like the way he was crowding his space.

"You first," Glenn hissed between his teeth. "She's not yours. You are nothing to her, got it?"

Gabriel put a hand against Glenn's sternum, he wasn't going to argue with the man now. Not when he was in a territorial rage. That hand against his chest gave a shove back, just to get some space.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to stop the right hook that flew at him as soon as he touched Glenn.

There were a few gasps from the room.

For a moment, Gabriel's jaw rolled in shock, barely processing that he got it. One blink and Gabriel's nostrils flared. The bets were off.

He threw himself at the Korean man. A jab to the ribs created an opening to the face.

There were shouts from around the room and Glenn fell back to the floor. Daryl, Rick and even Tyreese with his bad arm tried to jump in – to pull the flaying arms off of each other.

* * *

A closed cell door was the unspoken locked door in the prison. Everyone knew if the door was closed not to disturb whoever was inside.

Maggie wasn't having any of that this time. No, she needed to know what the hell happened while she was out on guard.

The black eye and bloody nose that Glenn was now sporting was not enough of an explanation.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Her voice rose as she yanked up the door roughly.

She bristled even further from seeing Gabriel lying on the cot calmly, glaring up at the ceiling. He barely even looked scratched. His jaw was a little swollen and throbbing from the initial surprise hit, but that was it.

It became abundantly clear who got the upper hand and that just upset Maggie even further.

Gabriel refused to answer her.

"What is wrong with you?!" Maggie exclaimed, if he wasn't going to shout, then she would.

"Attacking Glenn in the cantina!" She hadn't taken him to be that sort of person, which is why it felt like even more of a sucker punch to the gut when she found out about it.

She got frustrated at his lack of response.

"Answer me, Gabriel!" She fought the urge to stomp her foot.

She saw him take a very controlled and deep breath before whispering, "Is that what you think happened or is that Glenn wants you to believe?"

"Excuse me?" Maggie pulled her head back incredulously.

Gabriel lifted his feet and dropped them on the ground, sitting up on his bed to look Maggie in the eyes for the first time. It was the coldest and most unfeeling glare he ever gave her. He repeated himself more forcefully, "Is that what you really think happened or is that what Glenn told you happened?"

"What difference does it make?" Maggie shook her head.

Gabriel just gave a bitter snort, looking away from her aimlessly and mumbling, "It's a miracle then."

"What did you just say?" Maggie snipped in on his words with her hands on her hips. It was aggravating how calm he was, but little did she realize that he reached the end of his patience.

He was fuming on the inside. He couldn't believe this. It was like the first day at the prison all over again.

"I said," Gabriel rose up to his feet. "It's a real fucking miracle how you've lived this long!"

Maggie's eyes widened and she took a step back from him.

"I mean, how did you_ ever_ survive and think for yourself before he came along?" Gabriel sneered mockingly. Yes, somehow he had become the villain and she just believed what Glenn said about him. All because the punk kid had a temper and never got in a real fight in his life, compared to the training Gabriel had.

His frustration and anger boiled on as the words fell from his lips, "But thank God he's here now, to make all the decisions for you!"

Maggie's lips trembled and tears stung on the corners of her eyes. Maybe they were from seeing Glenn hurt, but right now it was more the shock of what he said to her.

Pin dropping silence fell between them before she hissed out the only thing she could think of, "Fuck you."

Maggie turned on her heel and marched out of the cell before she could give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Gabriel grounded his teeth together painfully with his fists clenched together. The look on her face and her words cut through him.

He grabbed the bar of the cell door roughly and slammed it shut. The metal echoed loudly throughout the cellblock.


	12. Movie Night

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M and aSprightlySoar – Nope! In the grand scheme of things, Gabriel is more rational than Glenn and he'll realize what he did wrong. Anyway, I'm not going to say much more – I think this chapter speaks for itself!

Please review! Oh, and what did everyone think of tonight's episode?

* * *

Movie Night

* * *

"Where's Pretty Boy at?" Daryl mumbled out to Carol and Hershel.

It was the question that caused Maggie's blood to run cold. She had stomped off for a while to calm down from their fight. She wasn't around when Rick had pulled Gabriel aside.

She spent a while in the exercise field, for a while just taking company in the new piglets.

When the hours to the day started to tick away, it became more and more clear that no one had any idea where Gabriel disappeared to.

Her anger simmered down into concern, especially when dinner rolled around. At the beginning of the meal, Rick got up in front of the group. He counted how many people were willing to go to Woodbury, simply based on the number of hands in the air. Glenn was absent from the meal because of the possible concussion he was dealing with.

Maggie's hand did not go in the air.

This time it wasn't just because Glenn didn't want her to go. She wouldn't admit it, but her concern turned into full fledge worry when Gabriel wasn't at the meal either. She doubted he would be allowed to go, but his corner table was empty.

She didn't understand it. Rocky was hounding for attention and scraps from the children. His belongings were still in his cell, including the sniper rifle, but even Maggie found herself looking around for him.

* * *

Guilt was a poisonous infection. As soon as you feel the prick of it in your skin, it just spreads and consumes you.

Maggie felt it with the time that went by and she had no idea where Gabriel had gone. She felt the more she thought about their argument.

What he said to her was nasty, implying she was a brainless idiot.

At the same time, she thought about his question. He didn't tell her what to think or really much of anything. He just challenged what she was told. Was that really awful?

"It's your turn," Carl reminded Maggie impatiently.

She snapped out of her thoughts and mumbled, "Sorry." It was late at night now, many people were lying in their cots. Maggie was feeling restless and remained in the recess area with a couple of the other night owls.

Besides, she wasn't looking forward to going back to her cell with Glenn after their second discussion.

Maggie was musing over her hand of cards when the door to the cellblock creaked open. Her, Carl and Carol looked up from their table to see Rick holding the door open for Gabriel.

"Thanks," He muttered vaguely to the Sheriff because his hands were full with a cardboard box.

Maggie's eyes searched him as he crossed the room. He refused to even look in her direction, but he gave a short nod of acknowledgment to Carl before he rounded the corner to the cells.

Maggie put her cards down and rose to follow after him.

"Gabriel?"

He didn't answer her, but she still followed him to the end of the row. She hovered at the entrance while he went to the small shelf in his cell. She vaguely recalled how he pulled it in a few days ago. It was slowly being filled with personal items, but right now it was mostly clothes and ammunition.

"Where were you?" Maggie asked softly, dropping her voice to a whisper.

Gabriel noticed how it wasn't an accusing question, but surprisingly concerned. It didn't make him turn around. Instead, he continued to clear off the top shelf for the box.

Maggie bit her lip, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared at his back side. His imposing height and broad shoulders made her feel even more shut out in that moment.

"What are you doing with those?" Maggie frowned slightly, looking at the thin plastic cases he was unpacking.

He still didn't answer her.

Of course, she couldn't just gloss over this and pretend it didn't happen. Maggie stepped into the cell and pulled the privacy sheet across the front of the cell.

"I talked to the others, who saw what happened," She announced to him, nervously glancing him up and down when she noticed his hands stop. "They said that Glenn swung first."

Gabriel turned his head towards her a little, enough for her to see the serious profile of his face. He nodded once, "It's the only reason Rick is letting me stay."

Maggie inhaled sharply, she didn't know about that part. She tried to bury the fleeting moment of panic the idea of Gabriel leaving caused.

Gabriel pulled out a large silver and plastic box with a mess of white cords attached to it lastly from the items he picked up.

Maggie cocked her head at it, temporarily distracted. "Is that a DVD player?"

Gabriel turned around to her finally before nodding quietly. "I found it in an office in the administration building," He admitted while picking out a case from the shelf.

"The administration building!" Maggie struggled to keep her voice lower. "But that part of the prison is sealed off," She stepped closer while Gabriel sank down to a seat on his bed, fumbling with some batteries as well.

"From walkers," He mumbled.

Maggie shook her head numbly at him, just baffled. He didn't look up while he popped off the back and replaced the batteries. It was tense between them, but at least they weren't shouting this time.

She was still standing there when the screen lit up, casting a glow against Gabriel's face. He sorted out the mess of cords quickly into a set of headphones.

"You want to watch?" Gabriel suddenly offered, holding up the plastic DVD case.

Maggie cocked her head slightly at the odd offer. What an absurdly casual thing to suggest after everything. But she realized what it was, him trying to extend the olive branch.

"Sure," She mumbled, a part of her legitimately eager to do something as normal and human as watching a movie again.

There was a brief flicker of his lips moving upward before he shifted the pillows on his bed against the concrete wall. He scooted back on the bed, leaning back against the pillows in the process. Once he was settled, he looked up at Maggie expectantly.

"Come on, I'm not a walker," He patted the spot next to him. It was a small DVD player, maybe about a fifteen inch display that some chubby and bored guard probably used to get through his shift.

Maggie snorted slightly before carefully following his lead. She tried to ignore the awkward fluttering in her stomach while she shifted to get comfortable. She made sure not to touch him while he cued up the CD.

Briefly, Maggie wondered if this was the right thing to be doing. Closed sheet over the cell, lying next to him on his bed… It could send the wrong message. Even if they were doing something as innocent as watching a movie.

Despite that, when Gabriel offered one ear bud out to her, she took it.

Her shoulder ended up brushing against his when the movie started playing. She had to lean a little closer to get a good angle of the player from his lap. Maggie almost chuckled from his movie selection, maybe it was little childish, but the idea of watching pirates and Johnny Depp was a good distraction from the reality beyond the walls.

After about twenty minutes into the movie, Gabriel whispered, "I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier."

Maggie had her arms folded over her chest, to keep her hands from going anywhere else, while she sighed deeply. "You didn't say anything that wasn't true," Maggie didn't take her eyes off the screen as she admitted it.

She did go along with Glenn's decisions, ever since they left the farm. That was a gut-twisting reality to realize.

Gabriel's expression softened up and he shook his head slightly. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way," He protested. Belittling a person was never the way to do things.

Maggie turned her head towards him. "It's okay, I'm sorry too," She said simply. She didn't need to say why. She had stormed into his cell without considering a second side to things.

Gabriel's lips thinned into a tight grin. Even though it was hard to see the dim light, Maggie saw the warmth returning to his eyes. It was there, once you looked past the sharper features and contrasting shadows.

"We good now?" Gabriel whispered, not wanting to be angry with her. She seemed to understand now and he silently thanked whoever set the record straight.

Maggie nodded, but then stipulated, "Only if you stop looking at me like that."

That damn smirk rose up on his face, his eyes flickering with amusement, "Like what?"

"Like you're going to do something I'll regret," Her voice was teasing, but full of warning.

Gabriel just grinned broadly.

He had to admit, he really thought about doing it. It would almost be worth seeing just how far he could take it before she would run away. Because she definitely would run.

"Nah," He dismissed casually and shifted his shoulders. While he spoke, he threw his arm around Maggie instead. Her heart was pounding against her chest when she felt his hand on her waist, pulling her closer into his side.

"I'm not going to reduce us to the high school cliché of stealing a kiss during movie night," Gabriel declared smugly.

Maggie rolled her eyes, but he could practically feel the heat radiating off her cheeks. She very pointedly turned back to the movie and her shoulders were stiff. Her fingers were white from grasping each other in her lap.

Gabriel just smirked, staring aimlessly at the black ship on the screen.

It was a good thing Maggie saw this movie before, because she had trouble following it after that. Her mind was stuck on his nerve. She was pretty sure it made her more anxious that he said he wanted to kiss her rather than actually just doing it.

Rationally, she knew she should have left. But to go back to what? An angry and bitter Glenn? At least Gabriel made her feel comfort and safe, even if the others didn't understand that.

No, just for tonight, she was enjoying this. She would watch the movie, by the time it was over, she could creep back to her cell and go to sleep. Glenn would be asleep by then anyway. It was just one movie, after all.

It was because of that, part way through the movie, she let her cheek fall against his shoulder. She felt his thumb occasionally stroke up and down, seemingly out of a mindless habit more than anything else, but otherwise his hand remained exactly where he first put it.

She was lulled by his masculine musk and the heat from his body. The blanket he pulled over them made it harder after they kicked off their shoes. She tried to fight the urge, but her eyes fell shut before the credits.

The screen went black and so did Gabriel's mind. He sighed into the darkness and looked down at the brunette asleep at his side.

He should wake her, he thought, because it would cause more problems if she stayed. But to hell with those people and what they thought, he decided. He didn't owe them anything. Gabriel closed the player shut and moved it to the ground carefully by the bed without trying to disturb her.

His own breathing and hers against him echoed back to his mind. Most of the cellblock was quiet, it was late and the only people coming in and out now were on watch duty.

Gabriel leaned towards her head and pressed his lips briefly into her hairline before relaxing his head back against the pillows.

No one said anything about stealing a kiss after the movie.


	13. Down That Path

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Yay for slow build up! Seriously, this fic is hard to be patient with, but it'll be worth it in the long run. Thank you M and aSprightlySoar! Seriously, I wouldn't keep writing without you guys.

* * *

Down That Path

* * *

Consciousness came to Maggie slowly. It was reluctant because of the warm body next to her and the sanctuary of covers that the bed provided. She nestled her cheek against her companion briefly, but then stopped.

Something was just a little off. Since when did Glenn start wearing shirts to bed? She definitely didn't remember his shoulders or abdomen, which her arm was draped across, being so solid. Even she felt a little off, from falling asleep with her jeans still on.

A sharp intake and Maggie's eyes snapped open.

Just based on the barren cell walls, Maggie knew this wasn't her and Glenn's cell. More importantly, there was the gentle rise and fall of the chest she had just used a pillow. She vaguely recalled nodding off against Gabriel.

But that didn't panic her nearly as much as the morning light filtering through the semi-sheer bed sheet over the front of the cell.

"Shit," Maggie barely hissed under her breath.

It was morning.

Someone would probably notice her absence from her cell. So much for just staying for one movie.

Carefully, Maggie pushed herself up to a sitting position. It was a little difficult to move because of Gabriel. He still had one arm wrapped around her and she was doing her best to not disturb him. She didn't need him awake while she was trying to slip away quietly without drawing attention to herself.

Her toes curled against the coolness of the concrete. Maggie swiftly found her socks and shoes on the floor, next to Gabriel's. It felt like her heart was pounding loud enough to wake him. The absurdity of it all made her feel like she was sneaking away from doing more than she actually did.

Maggie made sure her boots didn't thud against the floor while she slipped her feet inside and laced them up. She was about to stand and leave when she was done, but she stopped to look back at Gabriel behind her.

He had fallen asleep very much in the same position that she remembered. His head was lulled to one side and his mouth hung open in a rather adorable way.

Stop it, Maggie! He's not your fiancé, she shook her head to remind herself.

She bit her lip while staring at him. It was a rare moment of seeing his features relaxed and calm. There was no cocky smirk or calculating indifferent stare. He looked boyish and youthful.

She thought about what he said to her the night before. It was completely inappropriate and it thrilled her.

Maggie raised a few fingers towards his hair, but stopped short. Maybe he was a light sleeper? She didn't want to disturb him too much if that was the case. Instead, she settled to lean over him excruciatingly slowly. She held her breath as she drew herself closer to him.

Her eyes closed shut while her lips brushed against his cheek, lingering enough to feel the warmth of his flesh against hers before pulling away.

She stood up and made sure she didn't leave anything behind before stepping out from behind the curtain. It was very early in the morning, maybe she would be able to slip back into her cell with Glenn unnoticed?

Maggie looked up down the cellblock and her stomach flipped painfully. Carol, the early riser, was coming from the opposite direction with a laundry basket on her hip.

Maggie turned immediately around, mouthing a swear under her breath. For a brief moment, she thought about ducking back inside Gabriel's cell, but Carol already saw her.

"Maggie?" She whispered in a low tone.

The older woman with the pixie hair cut didn't bother hiding her surprise, seeing Maggie turn around to face her with a sheepish expression.

The severe case of bedhead, the same clothing from yesterday, and the sheet drawn over the cell spoke enough for her.

"What are you doing?" Carol pulled her head back, in a low and warning tone. The disappointment was filling her eyes.

"It was nothing," Maggie quickly pleaded, giving a nervous glance around to who could possibly hear.

Within the cell, the hushed voices caused Gabriel to stir. Wearily, he blinked and tried to get his eyes into focus.

He lifted his head off the pillow, just enough to catch the two shadows outside of his cell. He saw the one grab the other by the arm and pull her away.

* * *

Carol's grip on Maggie's arm was tight as she led her down to the laundry room, a more private place to talk. She never was one to put her hand on someone, but Maggie was a daughter to her and her paternal instincts were going on overdrive right now.

"It wasn't like that at all," Maggie defended herself after the door shut behind them.

"It doesn't matter. That is wrong and you know it. There are rules!" Carol reprimanded her. She didn't yell, but she suffocated you with her disappointment. It was the kind that made your insides twist with shame.

"Rules?" Maggie repeated in confusion. She didn't want to admit that she knew Carol was right. There was something wrong about it all.

"Yes! You're _married_, Maggie," Carol emphasized. "You can't go around sneaking in other men's cells, no matter what it is you're actually doing. It's just wrong and unfair to Glenn." Carol slammed the laundry basket a little louder than she should have in frustration on top of the machines.

Maggie's gaze dropped. She knew what she was saying was true, but it didn't seem fair to her either. It didn't seem right that something she enjoyed so much would be wrong. She only disputed the one fact that she could.

"Engaged," She corrected quietly.

"What?" Carol snapped her eyes back from the clothes to Maggie.

"We're engaged," Maggie clarified, feeling anxious under the stunned gaze from Carol. "We haven't agreed on a ceremony yet…"

Truthfully, Maggie hasn't been making it easy to agree on one lately, but that was another matter.

"Oh, you didn't…" Carol murmured in an appalled, horror mixed tone.

Maggie grimaced a little from the look she was giving her, but didn't say anything. While her and Glenn had discussed it, Carol was the first one being told about the distinction.

Carol began to shake her head slowly, all of the sudden she wasn't sure who she was more sad for. "Don't go down that path, Maggie," She could see the doubt in her eyes. "There's no going back from it."

Maggie didn't know what she meant by that and she didn't have time to figure out then. "Just please, don't say anything to Glenn?" She begged of Carol. She didn't need this to be more of an issue than it already was. The swelling on his bruises hadn't even gone down yet.

"No," Carol denied. She wasn't going to be an accessory to this.

Roughly, she started pulling clothes out of the basket. She declared, "You need to tell him. I'm not going to get in the middle of it, but if Glenn asks me… I'm not going to lie to him."

* * *

That afternoon they cleared the fences again. Maggie went with the group, including Karen and Tyreese this time. His arm was starting to feel better, but it was still heavily bandaged just in case. God knows they didn't want any walker blood getting into the wound. That would be a slow and painful way to go.

Gabriel was getting better with the names and faces by now. This time they let him perch up in one of the guard towers while the group went down to the fences. Some of the younger and fresher faces, like Beth's latest boy toy, Zach, remained inside the fence for their safety. With various sharp objects, they jabbed the walkers from the inside.

Meanwhile, the main Atlanta survivors with a couple of the Woodbury ones went around and caught the other flank of the walkers.

Despite his black eye and sour mood, Glenn went down with them. Gabriel was forced to watch from the guard tower the way the two moved in combat. They balanced each other out, following the body of the language of the other.

Wishfully, he wondered if he would ever move like that with someone else. It had been him and Rocky for such a long time. He loved his pup, but it wasn't the same.

Gabriel kept his gaze focused down his scope. He picked off the walkers coming in from the woods to keep the pressure light on the survivors.

Maggie had her machete out, fierce and wildly attractive as she slashed down a stray walker. It did occur to Gabriel to shoot it, but he didn't.

Advantage only, he reminded himself.

There was a particular moment Maggie remembered that day. They were on the tail end of cleaning out the bodies for the woods when three walkers stumbled out of the woods. They were slow moving and absolutely foul smelling to nose. Half of the scalp was sliding off one in a gooey rancid mess.

The first was broken away from the other two. Maggie approached it quickly, the blade jabbed in and out swiftly from the eye socket.

By the time she turned to do the two others, they were close. Very close.

She barely blinked, sizing up which to go after before there was a soft pop in the air. The black bile splattered with skull fragments out of the one furthest away.

She didn't bother thinking about it before lunging after the remaining one.

From the guard tower, Gabriel let out a ragged deep breath, pulling his eyes away from the scope for a moment. His finger eased off the trigger slowly like a tension muscle stretching for the first time.

Rick led the way with Daryl back from dropping the bodies in the woods. Carl and one of the other boys, Patrick, helped ease the gates open for them.

Maggie was exhausted, her boots were dragging a little bit, but they picked up when they hit the gravel road. She was covered in sweat and a little walker slime on her arms. But it didn't matter, she would get a fresh shower soon and a full stomach.

Glenn tried to keep up with her pace, but it became clear there was something else she sought after.

Several people gathered for the return of the workers; some of the children, Hershel, Carol and some of the older survivors. However, amongst them, her eyes settled immediately on Gabriel.

She saw him emerge from the bottom of the guard tower with the sniper rifle over his shoulder while they came up the gravel driveway.

Maggie's footsteps picked up quicker. She passed by Carl, Rick and even Daryl before they got to the gate.

Gabriel saw her coming, covered in dirt and grime. But that was no match to the bright smile that lit up her face the whole way. He didn't fool himself into thinking it was for him… At least, until she came closer and closer, he realized she was looking right at him.

Although confused, a small grin tugged on his features in response.

Until she closed the distance between them and abruptly wrapped her arms around him. Her right arm hooked around his shoulders and pulled him down closer to her, ignoring the looks from the others they got.

"You remembered," Maggie whispered into his ear while Gabriel recovered from his shock.

His hands rose up to her waist, wrapping gently around her. "Advantage only," He recalled, realizing that was what she meant. She was so happy that he let her do it and he genuinely believed that she could.

His arms moved tighter around her with that thought. "But, I really did want to take that second shot," He teased lightly. It wasn't easy sitting back and watching the walkers going after her, especially when he was just a trigger away from putting them down for her.

"I'm glad you didn't," She answered him with a grin.

Over her shoulder, Gabriel saw Glenn giving him a cold glare and the curiosity from the others. For a moment, he didn't care. He just closed his eyes and held her for as long as she would let him.


	14. You Deserve More

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I had Coldplay's Fix You stuck in my head when I wrote this. I think it would fit Mabriel pretty well!

Thank you M and aSprightlysoar! They are definitely closer. It's up to you guys to decide if they'll be closer after this chapter or Maggie will pull away. ;)

* * *

You Deserve More

* * *

"I think you should come with me today," Glenn said to Maggie.

It caused her to open her eyes from her spot on the bed in their cell. She was curled up on her side with a pillow tucked under her cheek. She wasn't facing him like she normally did. She wondered if he even noticed the subtle message in the form of her back being to him.

She didn't move from the bed while he was getting dressed and ready to go that morning. It was the day of Woodbury.

What Glenn just said went completely against everything they had talked about prior to it. That caused Maggie to pick up her head with a frown, twisting her neck towards him.

"Why?" She wondered where the change of heart came from.

"I thought about what you said," Glenn spoke. While he did, Maggie turned on her side to face him, but didn't get up from the bed or pull her hands out from under the pillow. It just left Glenn staring down at her from the edge of the bed. "You're right."

"If you think you can handle it, then you can handle it… I realize you're not that scared girl in the pharmacy," He said.

Maggie frowned in thought. She didn't like being reminded how upset and scared she had been that day. It sounded like Glenn was being genuine. He was certainly trying to get back on her good side ever since the fight with Gabriel.

At the same time, she felt a little miffed that he still thought of her in the first place back to that girl in the pharmacy. That was well over a year ago and so much had happened since.

"Is that all?" Maggie wondered aloud, part of her still weighing his apology. The other part was mentally considering just how quickly she could get dressed and catch up with the rest of the group.

Glenn just gave a half shrug and fidgeted with his hands. "I'd just feel better if you were with me today."

Normally that sentiment warmed her, but today it struck her the wrong way.

"With you?" Maggie questioned, pushing herself up on her elbow. "Compared to being safe here?" That didn't sound like Glenn at all. If it was up to him, she would be wrapped in bubble wrap and packing peanuts to stay safe.

Glenn kept his mouth shut, swallowing thickly at seeing the way Maggie's eyes lit up. They didn't light up in a good way, they lit up from realizing what he was aiming at.

"This is about Gabriel, isn't it?" Maggie couldn't believe it, her eyes narrowing sharply on Glenn.

"You mean, you want me around to keep an eye on me," Maggie concluded, the unblinking guilty stare he gave her only fueled her even further. "You don't trust me around him."

"No," Glenn denied quickly with a shake of his head. "I trust you. It's him I don't trust. Ever since that first day –"

"He saved me!" Maggie's voice rose a little with conviction, so tired of everyone treating Gabriel like an animal. "He wasn't trying to hurt me."

All but a few survivors would have been surprised at that confession. The rumor had been that Gabriel was about to take advantage of Maggie before Tyreese arrived.

But there were a few that saw past that, Carol and Michonne, and even Glenn.

"I know," He admitted timidly. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew how Maggie was looking at Gabriel and their recent displays didn't help things either.

He knew Gabriel wasn't trying to harm her and that was why he didn't trust him. If he was trying to hurt her, Glenn knew how to deal with that. Their group had spent so much trying to protect what was theirs and Maggie was his.

But this, he wasn't sure how to deal with it.

* * *

"I guess it's you and me, Freckles," Gabriel commented, leaning against the wall of the guard tower while watching the two vehicles pack up for the Woodbury trip.

Carl with the Sheriff hat on his head, cocked his head up at Gabriel. "Freckles?" He repeated bluntly, "You're shitting me, right?" Of all the nicknames.

Gabriel took a moment, simply to absorb the fact he was pretty sure he didn't speak to adults that way when he was Carl's age, before responding to him.

"Yep," He popped the 'p' and then nodded towards Daryl climbing into the cab of a pickup truck. "You don't want to know what I call him."

Carl just shook his head and looked back to the convoy.

Gabriel relaxed a bit, glad to see the kid not reaching for the pistol on his belt. He hadn't meant to let the nickname slip.

Looking back at the group, he had meant it was just them because Rick and Daryl were going with Glenn, Michonne, Tyreese, and Sasha to Woodbury.

Gabriel couldn't help but watch Maggie by the vehicles, saying goodbye to Glenn. Very reluctantly, he might add. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but her body language spoke volumes.

Maggie had her arms folded over her chest. Glenn was clearly trying to coax her to relax with his hands on her waist.

He leaned in to kiss her and she turned her head to the side stubbornly. His lips went to her cheek while she kept a stiff locked jaw.

"Maggie," Glenn tried to plead with her. "Please, what if…" His voice trailed.

He hated leaving with her still upset with him. His words hit a sore spot though and her resolve flickered.

She looked back towards him. The big what if question was one they were all too familiar with. No matter how safe they deluded themselves into being, something could always happen.

Maggie sighed and dropped her arms. Her hands reached up to cup Glenn's face and pull him back towards her.

She placed a quick and chaste kiss against his lips before looking him in the eye, "Just be safe and come back, okay?"

Glenn nodded and gave her wrists a brief squeeze, a little appeased by the gesture before climbing into the vehicles with the others.

"Come on, Carl," Gabriel used his name and kicked up off the guard tower wall. He saw enough for his liking. "Let's get to work."

When the engines started up and the first truck pulled out of the way, Maggie looked up across the courtyard and saw Gabriel's backside.

* * *

Maggie kept herself busy the rest of the day with chores. She watched over some of the children as they were cleaning up the pig and horse pens.

The rest of the prison had to make up for the shortage of hands because of the Woodbury run. Therefore, Maggie was moving most of the day. She spent some time on the fences clearing out the walkers that gathered over night.

Faintly, she heard some of the adults murmuring about how there were fewer walkers on the fences. Maggie thought it was too soon to really tell, but she was hopeful that Gabriel's idea would work out in the long run, no matter how disgusting it was.

Briefly she ran into Gabriel here and there, mostly trading a few small smiles at the water jug or meal break. He worked with most of the boys and directed him building those land sharks. By the end of the day, there was a whole line of them assembled and down by the main gate. It would take a coordinated group effort when everyone was back to place them around the fences.

Night fell over the prison and Gabriel's boots echoed off the guard balcony from the tower. It was probably the first night that he could hear more crickets and insects than walkers moaning at the fence.

He lightly held his rifle on his back, not seeing the need to have it drawn in front of him. The others were likely camping out at Woodbury and making sure everything was secure before coming back.

For a while, it was just him and the cool breeze of the summer night. It was almost perfect, but it was still Georgia and the humidity was something awful. But a small grin played on his lips anyway, this was the most hope he had a long time.

The guard tower door screeched from the stair case that spiraled within it.

Gabriel picked his head up to see Maggie stepping out onto the balcony with him. She was dressed a little warm than him, in that brown jumpsuit that he would have to someday tease her about where she found it.

"Hey," She greeted softly. "How did you get guard duty?"

Gabriel just shrugged his shoulders from his spot of leaning his elbows against the railing. "Just decided to give Carol a break," He said, then looking her up and down. "What about you?"

"Couldn't sleep," She said simply and moved to join him, standing next to him and mirroring his body position.

The two stared aimlessly out across the dark exercise field.

Gabriel nodded, but that wasn't quite what he meant. "He wouldn't let you go to Woodbury, huh?" He felt bold enough to ask since she had expressed her concerns about it before.

"Actually," Maggie sighed, drawing out the word in aggravation. "He changed his mind this morning."

Gabriel's eyebrows rose but he didn't interrupt her.

"He wanted to keep an eye on me," Maggie just shook her head. He was just being protective of her, was that really such a crime? If it wasn't, why did it feel so suffocating?

"Unbelievable," Gabriel scoffed, unable to help himself.

"What?" Maggie leaned off the railing a bit to square her shoulders to him.

Gabriel caught himself. "I'm sorry. I know it's not my place to say anything…"

"But you will," Maggie finished for him quickly. I want you to say something, Maggie thought. It was better than the silence.

A disbelieving quirk of his lips passed at that before he nodded and just went for it. He stood up from the railing and stepped closer to her, she lifted her chin in defiance up to him.

"I think you deserve better," His voice dropped with the sincerity. "And he's a fool for not being able to see you for what you really are. I just hope you didn't settle for the first boy that stumbled out of the woods." He wasn't even giving Glenn the courtesy of calling him a man.

Maggie felt a lump forming in her throat as she listened to his conviction. It was too thick to even protest the insult to her fiancé.

"You're a survivor, Margaret. You don't need to be sheltered, because you are so strong," Gabriel continued. You had to be strong to survive in this world. "You can make your own decisions and you need someone that can respect that."

Gabriel sighed, unsure if the moisture in her eyes were a good thing or not, but he was going to lay it out there anyway.

"You deserve more," He whispered again. She wasn't screaming and smacking him, so he lifted a hand towards her face.

Very gently, he brushed the hair out of her eyes and tucked it back behind her ear, just like the way he remembered when they first met. He leaned closer to her, enough to feel her breath and see the way her lips trembled from the hand that moved to cup her cheek.

"You deserve someone that can see how beautiful you are," He whispered finally as she stared at him with wide-eyes.

"Gabriel…" She barely murmured it back to him before she felt his lips over hers.

It stunned her.

It stunned her not because she didn't see it coming. No, she sensed it the moment the way his eyes turned on her and he took a step closer to her. But she felt trapped by those words, the way he said all the things that she wished Glenn believed. Now his lips stunned her by how soft and gentle they were.

But they weren't shy, they moved slowly against hers and she inhaled sharply before she found hers trying to follow the sensation.

The pit of her stomach fluttered this way and that while she leaned up into his height. An arm reached up and snaked around his neck. She wanted to wrap herself up in his scent, his taste on her lips and his warmth around her.

Gabriel tilted his head to the side to deepen the kiss and Maggie felt calloused hands holding her by the waist against his chest.

Her mind caught up with how her body was reacting to him though.

It came in the form of Maggie gasping and breaking her lips back from his. Her eyes snapped open and reality smack her a cold one. The hands on his shoulders were used to push the distance between them.

"I can't- shouldn't…" Maggie stuttered, backing up from Gabriel's confused and rather flustered expression.

Oh god, what had she done?


	15. It Meant Something

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: I will admit faithful isn't the best word for Maggie right now! But hopefully she'll redeem herself… eventually… Definitely not this chapter though.

Mabriel has some rough times ahead.

* * *

It Meant Something

* * *

He knew that she would run away from him, and he should have known that she would avoid him after that.

He didn't expect it to burn as much as it did though. Gabriel wasn't even that excited about the return of the Woodbury crew. They brought the power and supplies that Michonne had promised. The days ticked by and he didn't even care much for the appreciation he received from Daryl and Rick for the land sharks.

They were moved out to the fences two days after the Woodbury trip. A week reprieve was granted before the supply run to the food store.

During that time, Gabriel struggled to get Maggie to talk to him. She avoided him at every twist and turn. He couldn't get her alone in a room with him if his life depended on it. Naturally, she didn't come anywhere near his cell.

* * *

His lips moved against her, soft and tender. She felt her chest pressed against his and the firmness of his muscles along his shoulders against her hands. She wanted to run her hand up along his jawline, to feel the slight scruff that was beginning to grow again before disappearing into his hairline. She should have taken that chance then.

Cool water splashed against Maggie's face.

She threw two handfuls against her skin to snap herself out of the dream. She really needed to stop thinking about that kiss with Gabriel on the guard tower. It was hard enough trying to act like there was nothing wrong around Glenn without her mind wandering off.

"Margaret," Gabriel's voice caused her to jump, just like the hand on her arm.

Maggie swore under her breath, her opportunities for avoiding Gabriel had finally run out.

"We need to talk," He said in a low voice, trying not to cause an open disturbance. Most people were going in and out for chores, it was too early in the day for lounging about.

"No, there's nothing to talk about," Maggie snapped out, gripping the sides of the water collecting barrel to keep herself from turning towards him. "It was nothing."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Gabriel hissed through his teeth. He wasn't a saint, but she wasn't innocent either.

"No, no no!" Maggie nearly lost her patience. She took a deep breathe to keep herself from going hysterical and shouting. She turned and pointed a warning finger at him. "Listen to me, Gabriel. I have a _fiancé_. I love him."

Gabriel's nostrils flared and he didn't back off from her. He wondered if she was trying to tell him or remind herself.

Maggie's hand gestured back and forth between them as she spoke, "Whatever this is… you think you're doing. It has to _stop_."

Gabriel took a deep controlled inhale. His fingers curled tightly together while he was confronted with his regret. He shouldn't have given into the impulse to kiss her, he realized, because this is what it got him.

"Fine," Gabriel growled out lowly. The stubborn girl still raised her chin up to him, refusing to back off from his glare. "You have a fiancé, I get it. I'm sure everything was just peaches and cream before I came around, too," He spat out.

He knew she was blaming him for the developing faults in her relationship with Glenn.

His tone and eyes took on a heavier meaning as he added on, "But don't you dare claim that it was nothing. _You kissed me back_. Remember that. It meant something."

How dare she make him out to be the culprit in this. Gabriel turned on his heel, leaving her with those scathing words before he lost his nerve to frustration.

* * *

Gabriel felt more isolated than ever before at the prison. At least when he first arrived, she had been his tether to the place. She was the one that believed him, she didn't treat him like a complete outcast. Now, she wasn't looking at him. She only looked at him when his back was turned.

He still had Freckles, of course. But he couldn't exactly tell him what was going on.

"Alright," Rick was leading the main announcements before everyone dug into the evening food. "Tomorrow we're heading out for the supply run."

It was the same run to the food store that everyone had been talking about. Gabriel sat at his corner table with Rocky and Carl.

"Hands for who is volunteering to go," Rick requested, standing at the forefront of the room. His eyes passed over the faces.

There was a brief moment of silence before some murmuring passed through the room. Daryl was the first to put his hand in the air. It was followed shortly by Tyreese with a reluctant Karen next to him. Sasha put her hand up proudly.

Beth's boyfriend, Zach, put his hand in the air along with a few others that Gabriel didn't recognize. His eyes moved over to Glenn and Maggie's table.

Naturally, Glenn put his hand in the air. But disappointment rippled through Gabriel when Maggie did not. She just sat there next to him with her eyes a little downcast. Despite what he said to her, habits were hard to break apparently.

"Pretty Boy?" Daryl called out in surprise. "You're going?"

Gabriel made a face at the nickname, but he didn't see anyone behind him that the redneck could be talking to. There could be worse nicknames…

Gabriel was pretty sure that's what his hand in the air meant. Several heads turned towards his direction and Gabriel just looked back at Rick and Daryl.

"If you'll let me," Gabriel gave respectfully instead.

Rick regarded him a moment before giving an approving nod. "I reckon you've earned your chance to prove yourself," He said fairly.

"Thank you," Gabriel murmured before putting his head back down to his food. He vaguely listened to Rick continued on.

He refused to look up across the room towards Maggie. He wasn't going to return her gaze. She didn't have the right to look at him like that anymore.

* * *

That was how Gabriel found him in the ammunition cage with the other supply runners that morning. They were trading bullets and clips to load them up as people took claims to guns.

That night he thought there was maybe a chance Maggie would speak to him again. But she didn't come by his cell and he damn sure wasn't going to seek her out after what she said to him.

They had a table pulled out with a couple of the guns and clips laid out. The others were off getting ready, leaving a couple in the recess area of the cellblock.

Gabriel kept glancing across the table, giving Sasha a few nervous looks. "You trained to handle that?" He finally had to ask out of concern.

Those triggers were touchy. If she sneezed the wrong way, she could put a half a dozen bullets in someone before she knew her nose was wet.

Sasha gave a snort as she picked up the assault rifle in her hands. "Are any of us?" She countered instead before walking off.

Gabriel sighed. Yeah, actually at least one of us is, he thought to himself. Instead, he just continued cleaning and preparing the .9mm that was given to him.

"Pretty Boy," A somber and serious voice startled Gabriel. It wasn't the redneck this time, but the quiet ninja one.

She stepped up to the table, but didn't make any move to take any of the guns. She had her samurai sword after all.

"I didn't think the name would actually stick," She commented in a low meaningful tone. Gabriel stopped what he was doing. He didn't take her for the type to give ideal chit chatter. "But then again, there's something about you that just doesn't stick right either."

Gabriel's expression didn't flinch, but he was watching her with reservation. He had to admit, she probably had the better poker face though.

"Little college boy wandering in the woods… all by himself," Michonne prompted suspiciously.

Gabriel gave the same curt explanation he gave everyone else. "I've said it before, I was split from my group three months ago… a group of my classmates from college."

"This college of yours," Michonne wasn't completely convinced. "Did it teach Sharp Shooting 101?" He was unnervingly good with that sniper rifle and he seemed pretty comfortable with the weapons on the table for just a kid.

"No," Gabriel said coldly. "Four years in the military did."

The widening of Michonne's eyes was her only reaction. The gears were turning in her mind, but he couldn't tell which way.

Gabriel sighed, he figured he would have to start coming clean now about some things or they would never trust him.

"It's not something I normally like to talk about," He said in a final tone. There was a reason why he left and sought out his degree.

"But, I was with a group three months ago. We were up a few states when I went out scouting one day," Gabriel began to explain, staring down at the clip of bullets in his hands. At this point, he couldn't even care about the fact Rick was hovering in the room and listening.

"I was coming back to our camp through the brush. I found Rocky hiding," He remembered. The pup got real quiet when there was danger, having quickly figured out barking and whimpering drew in more creatures. "I'm still not sure how they didn't see me." Well, at least he had some level of self-preservation and instinct to hide.

"But I saw them," Gabriel nodded bitterly. "They had my friends on their knees. They just picked through everything they had. They had military vehicles, but they couldn't have been military – not even American. But they were armed like them."

"Their leader was the worst of them all though," Gabriel remembered some of the nonsensical shouting before he got to the worst part. "But then they just shot them all. He didn't even give them a chance or say what he wanted. He just… gunned them down. He didn't even shoot them in the head."

Gabriel looked up from his hands, noticing that Rick and Daryl were watching just far enough away to hear behind Michonne.

He took a moment to calm himself and shake his head.

"Anyway, after they left… There wasn't much left, I grabbed what I could. I remembered their leader shouting something about a prison of survivors in Georgia, asking if my friends knew anything about it," Gabriel clicked the bullets into the pistol before tucking it into his waist band.

He just shrugged his shoulders, "I figured anyone that was an enemy of him was worth a chance… So I started looking."

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Admittedly, there were a lot more prisons and detention centers in Georgia than he realized. But no, it was no coincidence that he happened to wander towards the prison that day.

The two Atlanta survivors were silent for a long while as Michonne turned to exchange a brief look with them. Gabriel didn't understand the look that passed between Michonne and Rick.

Rick wanted to speak up, but he let Michonne do so since she got Gabriel to talk in the first place.

"The leader of this group," Michonne proceeded carefully. "Was he missing an eye?"

Gabriel cocked his head back oddly at that. His brows furrowed unnervingly, unable to hide his emotional reaction this time.

"How did you know?"


	16. Big Spot

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Note: This chapter is going to follow the Walking Dead episode, so if you haven't seen it – it may be confusing. The only major difference is that Zach survives instead of Bob (I just like Zach more), and obviously what happens to Gabriel… And Rick went with them instead of wandering off with creepy Clara.

Music: Foo Fighters - DOA

Much love to M and aSprightlySoar! Thank you for the reviews, you guys are awesome!

* * *

Big Spot

* * *

"He just gunned down all those people?" Gabriel couldn't quite believe it.

Tyreese and Sash were filling him on what happened while they drove to the food store, Big Spot, that was targeted for the supply run. The more he heard about this Governor, he regretted not taking the chance to put him down himself.

Tyreese nodded somberly. "Karen was the only one that got away," He said, without going into detail about how she had to hide under the body of her friends to do so.

He did tell him about how he had attacked the prison and that was why the main gate had been blown out. Furthermore, he told him about the twenty or so people that were massacred when the Governor lost it and shot on his own people. The Woodbury survivors in the prison now were the only ones left of about originally seventy.

Gabriel vaguely recalled the Hispanic woman that Tyreese was sweet on. While they drove, he kept half an eye out the window to see where they were going. Rick, Daryl and Glenn were in the other pickup truck. That was fine with Gabriel, he didn't particularly care to get too close to the Korean man. He felt his glares every chance he got.

* * *

Gabriel knew he should have gotten out of there when the first walker fell through the ceiling.

* * *

They pulled up to the grocery store and he had to admit, it was not what he expected. The exaggerated logo of Big Spot seemed mockingly cheery to the dismal and bleak world that they lived in. What he found more interesting was the abandoned military installment at the front of the store.

They had setup an emergency camp at the front of the store and used a fence around it to keep the walkers out. Of course, that didn't stop the infection from spreading. Gabriel overheard Michonne and Sasha talking about how they cut open the fence a few days ago and used a boom box to draw out the walkers from within the camp.

The group moved through the camp, occasionally speaking inside the forest green tents to make sure there were no surprises. The rancid stench coming from them spoke for itself.

Gabriel hung back while Daryl knocked on the front window panes of the store, to draw whatever may still be inside to the front for them to take out.

"Military, huh?" Zach, the boyish blonde spoke up after trying to guess what Daryl had been before the outbreak, looking to Gabriel.

The Australian just gave him an impassive look, but didn't disagree. Apparently word about him had spread rather fast amongst the supply run group.

The teen had a new respect for the dark stranger, clad in the protective body armor with the .9mm and hunting knife within a hand's reach. Sasha and Glenn were decked out in similar riot gear from the prison.

"Were you deployed?" The teen urged curiously. Gabriel could feel Michonne and Daryl looking to him as well.

Gabriel gave a curt nod, not looking at Zach but sizing up the type of military vehicles parked in front of the store. "Afghanistan. Six months," He said as shortly as possible.

"No shit!" Zach gasped, his eyes widening. He hoped they weren't messing with him this time, like Daryl was about being an undercover detective before the outbreak.

"What was it like?" He exclaimed.

Gabriel gave him a stern expression, not amused in the slightest. What was it with people and that damn question? They always reacted like if he was on a holiday retreat and not faced with the possibility of being blown up by an IED or shot every day. He didn't say anything and instead moved to the sliding doors, past the trio to where Tyreese was giving Sasha a hard time about bossing him around.

"Dumbass," Daryl muttered, shaking his head.

Zach blinked in confusion, "What? What did I say?"

* * *

Gabriel had no problem staying in formation, even with the other new guys that had to be reminded occasionally. The Atlanta survivors moved into the store first, taking out the lingering walkers, before Sasha and Tyreese followed after them. Gabriel hadn't quite figured a nickname for them yet since they didn't really belong with the Atlanta or Woodbury group. They were outsiders like him, but they were accepted and he wasn't quite yet.

Therefore, Gabriel followed up the rear with Zach and Bob. Both of them were rather jumpy and visibly anxious about the run. Once they stepped inside the store, Gabriel just treated it like the missions he had been trained for months.

He led with his pistol and the mark as his sight of vision. He cleared aisles, calling them out as they went. It wasn't long before they declared the store was clear and some of the others started pulling out shopping carts to gather supplies.

It was surreal walking through the aisles, just picking out what they could in the abandoned, musty building with little light.

He caught up with Bob in one of the back aisles. He had a bottle of Smirnoff in his hand, eying it with such indecision and envy.

"I wouldn't," Gabriel muttered, walking behind him and through the aisle. There was no benefit to developing a grain addiction in this type of world.

The African man startled, having not heard him coming. He stuttered about something before shoving the bottle back on the shelf.

That was when hell broke loose.

Gabriel wasn't quite sure how it happened, but one of the shelves gave way. There was a shattered of bottles crashing to the floor and liquor spilling everywhere.

He turned on his heel to see the entire case fall over on top of Bob. There was shouting and next Daryl was on the other side of the collapsed aisle.

They figured out Bob was okay, but his ankle was trapped.

That was when the first walker fell through the ceiling. For none of them had seen the crashed helicopter on the top of the building and the couple of dozen walkers shuffling aimlessly along the roof. The economically, warehouse design of the building was meant for taking such weight. After months of pressure, it finally gave way.

The ceiling cracked and splintered as the first couple of walkers fell through. There was no predicting where the next one would be as the bodies started raining on them. Instead of being in a tightly formed group, they were now singled out as walkers dropped in randomly into the building.

Gabriel was left between trying to shoot the walkers that fell onto display cases and shelves. Splattering noises sounded as the body fell, painting the floors in red and guts.

He was torn between lifting the shelf to get Bob out and trying to keep walkers at bat. Shouts were drowned out as gunfire echoed through the building. Daryl disappeared in the midst of it to help Michonne and Rick.

"Zach! The shelf," Gabriel shouted when he caught a glimpse of the blonde. He was on the opposite side of the aisle with the tilted shelf on Bob. He nodded and they both grabbed an end of the shelf. Two people were enough for Bob to scramble out from underneath it on Zach's side.

Gabriel let go of it and turned to cover his backside. He ran out of bullets getting rid of the walkers in immediate sight.

He heard a scream behind him. He turned to see a walker on the ground had grabbed Bob by the ankle and pulled him down.

"Leave him! Go!" Gabriel shouted and waved at Zach. It was too late, the teen was too stunned to do anything while another walker went to Bob's shoulder.

Through the increasing gaps in the ceiling, Gabriel heard and saw what was causing the building to creak and groan in protest. He caught a glimpse of the helicopter blades and his stomach sank with horror at the realization it would likely collapse on their heads in the matter of seconds.

He turned to dash down the end of the aisles to the front of the store.

However, he only made it down two aisles before his path was blocked by half a dozen walkers. Looking down the end caps, there were even more shuffling towards him. Gabriel pulled out the hunting knife, posed ready in his hands. While he had a vest and some padding to protect his limps, legs and forearms, in the back of his mind, he was a realist.

This wasn't looking good for him.

Based on the shouts and decreasing gunfire, he could tell the others had made it out of the store or were making their way to the front.

A quick jab through the eye sockets took out the first two walkers, but it also gave the others a chance to get even closer to him. Gabriel was weighing which one to go after when he saw a figure duck into view at the end of the aisles.

He was padded with the riot gear. He could barely see his dark hair and the assault rifle in his hands over the shoulder of a decaying female walker.

Glenn stopped. He could see Gabriel surrounded by six, maybe even eight walkers with nothing but a hunting knife.

He raised the gun. He could get a clear head shot on most of them. The closest two were too risky, he could hit Gabriel in the process of shooting them.

His eyes also flickered to where the first support beams were starting to sag in the roof. Even if he shot the walkers down, there was a very good chance that Gabriel would be crushed under the tail of the helicopter.

Then again, would it really be such a bad thing for him if Gabriel didn't make it back? Glenn thought morbidly for a split second.

Gabriel disposed of the female walker in front of him. He felt one grasping blindly at his back side in a failed attempt against the armored vest.

The female walker dropped in time for him to see Glenn lowering his assault rifle without firing a shot and ducking around the corner.

_You bastard_, was Gabriel's last coherent thought before his mind was overwhelmed by the shuddering of the construction material. The helicopter fell through the ceiling with a crushing blow.

* * *

"Glenn, let's go!" Rick shouted, standing up from the driver's spot of one of the pickup trucks.

They haphazardly threw the supplies they could get, shopping cart and all into the back of the trucks. Everyone sprinted for the vehicles, one by one with walkers following after them. Daryl's crossbow and Sasha's rifle covered their backs as they went.

Zach and Glenn were the last ones to get out.

"Where's Pretty Boy and Bob?" Daryl shouted at Glenn.

Zach shook his head. "They got Bob," He gasped and panted out while he jumped into the bed of the first truck. The first truck started moving immediately, leaving Rick, Daryl and Michonne to cover the rear and Glenn.

"And Gabriel?" Rick looked towards Glenn while Daryl eyed up the walkers coming through the glass windows.

Glenn shook his head. "He went down," He said.

"Did he go down or is he dead?" Michonne was the one to question, looking him straight in the eyes. Rick and Daryl were glancing anxiously towards the walkers getting closer and closer, they only had a few seconds to spare.

Glenn squirmed under the intensity of Michonne's gaze. Everyone knew what she was referring to.

There was a huge difference between seeing someone going down and seeing someone die or get bit. After Andrea, Rick and Daryl were hesitating at the idea of leaving anyone behind with the question in the air.

They were both clearly weighing if they could risk going back in for Gabriel.

Glenn took a deep breath and looked at Michonne as firmly and determined as he could in the moment, "He was bit, I saw it."

A loud swear of frustration came from Daryl and Rick's head bowed momentarily. They both moved towards the cab of the pickup, unable to waste any more time.

Glenn kept himself from swallowing thickly or flinching under the lingering stare that Michonne gave him before she climbed into the bed of the pickup.

The engine roared to life and Glenn looked back at the food store through the side mirror of the truck as they sped away. He clenched his fists together tightly together and hoped no one saw the lie in his eyes.

There was no way anyone could have survived that, he told himself.


	17. Left Behind

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M and Guest (I'm guessing aSprightlySoar?): Yes the scumbag move definitely goes to Glenn. And I'm being mean with the cliffies, but it's that or waiting longer for chapter updates.

Trying the writing from more Glenn and Hershel's angle this time – hope you enjoy!

Music: Candlebox – Far Behind

* * *

Left Behind

* * *

"How did he go?" Rick asked Glenn from the driver's seat of the pickup as the truck barreled down the highway, following the lead vehicle.

Michonne sat in the bed of the truck with her back against the cab. She couldn't hear what the three men were saying inside the truck.

Daryl sat between Rick and Glenn, following Rick's gaze. While they didn't really talk about it, they had hopes at the idea of someone with military training being able to help protect the prison.

Glenn refused to look at them, he just stared out the window. He shook his head while mumbling, "He was surrounded by them… they were on top of him and then the helicopter fell."

He wasn't lying, he told himself, that was what he saw. Things would be better now too, he told himself. He wouldn't have to worry about Gabriel following after Maggie anymore. They could go back to the way things were before.

It was for the best.

Rick's gaze dropped back to the road solemnly.

Daryl shook his head in frustration. "'tis not right," He grumbled out. Everything about this world was fucked. "He went back to save Bob," He recalled aloud the reason why Gabriel got caught in the back of the store in the first place.

And now neither one of them made it out because he tried to do the right thing.

* * *

The two pickup trucks made it back to prison late that afternoon. It was a sober affair.

Carl and Maggie were the ones to open the gates. Carol had shouted out to some of the children and Maggie in the courtyard when she spotted the vehicles approaching from the guard tower.

Maggie shouted for Carl and they sprinted towards the gate. Carl unlocked the inner gate while Maggie threw her weight into the counter weight for the first one.

The pickup trucks sped through the open gates and Maggie let the heavy front gate shut before any of the stragglers from around the fence could get in.

Immediately, she was set on edge by the defeated expressions on their faces. There were barely any supplies in the trucks, thrown in a rush and chaotically.

The trucks pulled into the courtyard area, where they normally were parked. By the time Carl and Maggie finished locking the gates and caught up, most of the occupants had piled out and were met by loved ones.

Carol was trading a few quiet words with Daryl, making sure he was okay. Karen already had Tyreese wrapped in a tight hug. Carl went straight for Rick and Maggie sought out Glenn immediately.

While there was relief in the air, there were no smiles abound. Maggie wrapped her arms around Glenn tightly, relieved to see that he was mostly okay, just splattered with some walker blood.

"What happened out there?" Maggie questioned, knowing something had gone wrong.

"The building collapsed, there were walkers everywhere," Glenn barely got out before Maggie pulled away from him. Over her shoulder, she did a quick headcount and something was off.

"Who, Glenn?" Maggie blurted out, realizing that people were missing. "Who was it?" She pulled away from his arms and started to approach the pickup trucks.

"Maggie…" Glenn began carefully, anxious at the way she tried to peer into the windows… As if the last person had just fallen asleep on the way back.

She wasn't even listening though.

"Where's Gabriel?" Maggie said aloud, unable to spot his tall and dark figure amongst the other survivors. Tyreese and Sasha picked up their heads as Maggie's voice rose.

"Where is he?" Maggie turned back to Glenn, panic setting in.

Maggie hated the defeated sigh Glenn gave and the slow shake of his head. "The walkers… they fell from the ceiling, they were everywhere," He tried to explain, seeing he was losing Maggie's focus moment by moment. "It was insane…"

"What are you saying, Glenn?" Maggie didn't care about the small group that was gathering around them.

"He got left behind," Michonne's voice rose up in a cold and flat tone. "Isn't that, right?" Her eyes fixated on Glenn.

The Korean man's gaze faltered and he refused to look back at Michonne, focusing instead on his fiancé.

"Left behind?" Maggie repeated numbly. "What you do mean left behind?" They didn't do that.

"You're going to go back for him, right?" She started looking from face to face, not just Glenn but also Rick and Daryl. "Like you did for Merle," She tried to appeal to Daryl. "You're going to find him, right?"

The hunter was looking at the ground though, biting the inside of his cheek.

"It's not the same…" Glenn spoke up. Maggie's head snapped back to him, her voice rising even further.

"Why? Because he's not your brother? You can't just leave him behind!" Maggie shouted, frustrated at the fact no one was moving or even talking about how they would go back for Gabriel.

"It's not that simple," Rick tried to be fair about it, but still keeping a distance from the visible upset woman. "Merle had a chance…" Sure, they had left Merle behind, but they had locked the rooftop door and the walkers couldn't get at him.

"Gabriel was surrounded, the whole roof collapsed on top of him," Glenn jumped on Rick's point.

"But did you see him go down?" Maggie whirled on Glenn, trying to latch onto some hope for the situation. She felt like she was back to fleeing the farm, pleading to find out who they had lost. "Was he bit? Did you see it?"

Glenn reached out to grasp at Maggie's upper arms, to keep her from pacing in agitation and really look him in the eyes.

"I saw it," Glenn said forcefully, ignoring the way Michonne watched him with a calculating gaze and the sympathetic ones from the others.

"He's dead, Maggie," Glenn declared finally.

For a moment, he thought she didn't hear them because there was a delay in the way she just stared at him, wide-eyed.

But Glenn knew he made the right decision when he saw her expression twist with anguish.

The first sob bubbled up as she jerked her arms away from his grasp and fled from the center stage.

Let her cry it out, Glenn told himself, she can mourn him and then they can move on with their lives.

* * *

Maggie hugged Rocky to her side. She didn't say anything about the big pup lying on her bed this time, shedding all over the covers.

Instead, she was okay with her being there and scratching her belly absently. Glenn wasn't anywhere in sight. He was off doing his usual sulking after a bad run. She had started to become used to the way he pushed her away and bottled it up.

This time, she was okay with him being away. She knew he would be angry with the tears she was shedding over the one that had caused them so much stress lately.

She didn't feel like going to dinner after that. She preferred to be left alone.

While she took some comfort in Rocky's presence, it made her feel worse too. The pit-bull's tail wagged from the attention and occasionally looked at Maggie oddly as if to say, 'What's your problem?'

She had no idea that her master wasn't coming back.

After the meal, Beth wandered up to Maggie and Glenn's cell. She hovered by the entryway, seeing the way her sister was lying on her side and curled around the dog. She didn't give loud or body shuddering sobs, but her cheeks were heavily stained from the tears being shed.

"Zach told me how he went back for Bob," Beth announced quietly to her. Maggie only barely picked up her head in a nod.

She had overheard how everyone generally agreed that Gabriel had gone in an honorable way. Despite their initial impression of him, he would be missed because there were so few people like that left in this world.

Beth remained quiet for a long time, having shared her words with Zach and how he wasn't sure if he would've gotten out if it wasn't for Gabriel's cover fire.

For Beth, she was tired of losing people and she had run out of tears a while ago. She thought Maggie was much the same way, but it had been a long time since she cried for someone like she was now.

"What exactly was going on with you two?" Beth asked bluntly, trying to understand it while she stepped inside.

They seemed friendly towards each other up until just before the run, the tension was thick and obvious between them.

Maggie sloppily wiped the tears away from her cheeks and pushed herself up to a seat to make room for her sister to sit. Rocky jumped off the bed and trotted off, feeling the loss of attention.

Where to begin? Better yet, she didn't want to admit much. Maggie shook her head, refusing to mention the kiss they shared or what she really realized about Gabriel. "We got into a fight," She did admit to, without getting into it. "And I said some things… He said some things too…"

Maggie took a shaky deep breath, looking up to Beth's concerned expression, admitting the horror that weighed on her mind.

"I can't help but think… what if it's my fault?" Her voice cracked, wiping at her nose.

"What?" Beth gasped, wondering how she could get that idea in her mind.

"What if he went because of what I said to him," Maggie felt her gut twist and new tears threatened her vision. "What if he went because of our fight, because I was mad at him… And now he's _dead_."

Beth was speechless. She got what she meant, but at the same time she didn't.

It was irrational, but then again guilt was never completely unfounded. And no matter what she said, Beth knew that she would never be able to squash the doubt running rampant through Maggie's mind.

Instead she did the only thing she could think of, she threw her arms around her older sister and pulled her close. She just rubbed her back while Maggie cried into her shoulder.

Maggie felt guilty about the contempt she had thrown at Gabriel and the last things she said to him.

"I just thought I would have more time," She mumbled after several minutes. More time to work things out.

Into what she didn't know, maybe something amicable, but she just thought there would be more time.

* * *

Hershel rose early in the morning. He wasn't the first survivor to wake in the prison, but he was amongst them. It felt good being able to walk again. It took quite some time for them to find the right prosthetic for his stature and injury. It took even longer for his leg to heal to the point that he could use it.

Now, he was no longer dependent on crutches and really getting used to the new leg. He emerged from the cellblock after going through his normal morning routine. He didn't get as much sleep as usual. He could hear the crying coming from Maggie's cell and Glenn's more attempts at soothing her.

Hershel squinted at the cover cast morning sky, it seemed to match the mood of the prison. He made his way towards the exercise field. He would have to talk with Rick to decide whether or not to dig a grave for the missing boys. They were both so new.

He caught up with Rick at the pig pen, checking in on the new piglets. "Pretty heavy fog moved in last night," Rick announced, nodding in acknowledgement to the older man.

"And no walkers on the fences?" Hershel could barely see past the fences because of the fog still there, but there wasn't a single one in his sight.

"Not a one," Rick said almost cheerfully, brushing his hands off from the dirt. It was a welcomed relief to see that this morning, but even he had to admit it was odd.

"Maybe they overslept," Hershel said dryly.

Rick chuckled briefly, almost missing the small grin on the normally serious man.

Hershel was quiet while Rick adjusted the feeding trove for the pigs. "Listen, Rick, about the burying the boys…" His voice trailed meaningfully.

"Yeah, I know," Rick picked up immediately, knowing there was something on Hershel's mind. "I just don't know what to do…" He rubbed the scruffy beard he was growing as he spoke, "Dig a grave when I have no body to put in it or family to mourn them?"

Hershel sighed gently at the dilemma. It wasn't an easy decision.

His eyes wandered over the fences. The fog was slowly clearing out at least. Give it a few more hours and it would be gone. But Rick was right, he couldn't see any walkers even moving towards the fences.

"Tell me something, Rick," Hershel got distracted from the subject. His eyes focusing on the main gate, more importantly looking past it. "My eyes may be old, but do you see something in the road there?"

He pointed towards the gravel road that led out the prison through the main gate.

Rick stood upright and squinted in the direction. There was a shadow, a rather large one that normally didn't belong there.

He stopped what he was doing and started to walk towards the main gate. Naturally, his hand went to the protective knife on his belt while Hershel hobbled after him.

As they got closer, they realized there was a massive dark object in the road. The problem it was hard to make out what it was because it was sitting about a hundred yards away from the main gate.

Rick had to get right up to the chain links of the fence to get a better look. For a long time, they were silent while his mind slowly processed what was in front of him.

"It's a military convoy truck," Rick realized aloud, finally being able to make out the angles and dark shadows of the vehicle. The coloration made it equally as hard to distinguish. It was just sitting there in silence, no engine running or even any headlights on.

Hershel nodded from just behind his shoulder.

"And I think we just found where your walkers have been," Hershel declared gravely.

They could faintly hear the moaning coming from the over a dozen walkers and growing that were gathered around the front cab of the vehicle. Gnarly fingers and decaying limps were grasping up at the front, trying to claw their way inside. To whatever, or whoever, it held.


	18. And Baby Food

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Of course I wouldn't kill off my main character like that! Gabriel's return and recovery this chapter, which will continue into the next chapter. Enjoy!

Thank you for the reviews, M and aSprightlySoar, and especially Beckett! It's great hearing from new voices. And yes, Michonne is totally on Team Gabriel!

Music: Foo Fighters - Walk

* * *

And Baby Food

* * *

Rick and Hershel stared at the mysterious military vehicle sitting outside of the prison. The walkers were clamoring to get inside of it. There were only two reasons that walkers would get that worked up over something, fresh blood or something living inside.

"Someone is inside of there!" Rick declared, turning on his heel to sprint back up towards the prison.

He had to wake everyone and get inside that truck before the walkers did.

* * *

Shouts echoed through the cellblock, stirring everyone to life. The ones who could grab a sharp object and pull on their shoes first went to the main gate. A rush of people filed out of the cellblock, boots crunching down the gravel as they caught up with where Hershel was watching the convoy truck.

Maggie was amongst the women that had grabbed pots and pans, anything they could bang against loudly to create a distraction. They were over behind the fence, shouting profanities and nonsense to try to draw some of the walkers away from the convoy and spread them out.

Rick led the way with the group that went through the gate. Daryl and Michonne tightly flanked his shoulders as Sasha and the rest of the men went after the convoy.

They had to remain close to each other, to take out the large number of walkers.

Daryl felt his heart pounding between his ears with the adrenaline. It was difficult and a hairy at best to dispel the walkers from around the truck. The tight circle worked towards the driver's side slowly.

"Got the door," Daryl declared, deciding to be the bold one to open the door. The others half circled around him, keeping an eye out for more walkers emerging from the woods with the vehicle to their flank.

Good thing these geeks were too dumb to figure out how to open doors.

The redneck whipped the door open and stepped back, his hunting knife posed in the air in case it was just another walker inside.

Instead, there was a figure slumped over in the driver's seat, his head hanging uncomfortably. His dark hair was plastered against his scalp from sweat and blood. Grime was smeared over his clothing. A poor excuse of a bandage was tied off at his left bicep.

Daryl let out a loud swear. "It's Gabriel!" In a rare instance, he used his actual name.

Despite supposing to be watching for walkers, every head turned in the direction of the discovery.

Daryl lowered the knife and stepped up closer to the body. "He's breathing!" He saw the weak rise and fall of his chest.

"Cover me," Rick said to Sasha and moved to Daryl, "Pull him out of there." They didn't want to get caught their pants down in case more walkers came towards the vehicle.

Daryl's hands roughly grabbed Gabriel's right arm, dragging him out of the vehicle. His body was dead weight, the boy having clearly passed out.

* * *

Maggie slowly stopped banging on the pot as she saw the huddle forms duck back into the gate. Her eyes, like the others at the fence, were focused on the body that was being carried by the shoulders between Rick and Daryl.

He was tall and lanky. The crop of dark locks that hung down from their slumped head caused Maggie's stomach to sink.

The pot fell numbly out of her hands and she dashed towards them, a small group started to gather around the retreating rescue team.

Maggie got close and recognized Gabriel beneath the deathly gruesome mess.

"Is he alive?" Maggie panicked. She wanted to get closer, but Daryl and Rick kept dragging him up towards the prison. "Is he bit?"

"Nowhere I can see," Daryl barely grunted out. "But his shoulder is messed up."

"Get him up to the infirmary," Hershel tried to put as much pep to his step to keep up with them, but also not getting in the way. "I'll have a look at him."

* * *

Glenn was the only Atlanta survivor that didn't take part in the rescue effort. In fact, he had this horrible feeling in his gut the moment he woke up from the prison panic. He remained up by the top of the hill at the cellblock.

Seeing the returning group, his expression paled visibly. Rick and Daryl led the way, carrying a ghost between them. Even Rocky was running around the group, excited by the morning flurry. A trail of people followed after them.

A few whispers were exchanged and a few glances were thrown his way.

The most chilling of them all was the one that Michonne gave him while sliding her sword back into its sheath. He could see exactly what she was thinking in her eyes.

* * *

The silence of infirmary, rarely used these days, was interrupted by the chatter of numerous bodies in the limited space.

None were as alarming as the sudden cry of pain from Gabriel.

He stirred from the sharp stabbing pain from his shoulder. His chest gave a heave with the gasp.

"Relax, son," Hershel's voice said from his left side while he struggled to focus his vision. Weariness ached throughout his body to be overcome by the searing pain. "I need to stitch this up before it becomes infected."

Gabriel barely listened, all he felt was the agonizing splash of disinfectant and iodine into the open gash on his arm.

While they had the room, the patient tables and some of the medical supplies, they didn't have the anesthetic to spare and make this easier on the already exhausted young man.

His chest heaved with panic, disorientation and pain. Gabriel tried to move, gather his bearings. He felt hands holding him down by his legs and on his shoulder. A hand touched his cheek and pulled his face to the right.

His eyes opened and made out an anguished face. Then he heard her voice. "Gabriel," She said to him.

He stopped struggling just to blink and bring those emerald eyes into focus. A relieved but worried smile tugged at Maggie's face, seeing a moment of clarity and lucidity in Gabriel's eyes.

She had shoved her way to the front of the group the moment they got into the infirmary and her father started giving out orders. She helped them pull off the riot gear and strip him down to the shirt and jeans he wore underneath.

It was then it became clear that he was very much alive and not bit. Daryl and Rick had been the ones holding down his legs. Others were gathered in the room, including Carl, Patrick, Beth, Sasha and Tyreese. Even Glenn hovered reluctantly by the door.

Gabriel winced and flinched from each time he felt the needle pulling through his skin, but he refused to look away from Maggie. Her thumb stroked along his cheek.

* * *

Maybe it was because this reminded him too much of leaving Merle behind, or what had happened to Andrea, or even the trouble Andrew had caused the group.

But Daryl snapped.

"I thought you said he was dead!" Daryl let go off Gabriel's leg and went after Glenn before anyone could stop him. He grabbed the young man by the shirt and shoved him back against the wall.

It looked like he was a hair trigger away from punching him in the face, giving him a matching black eye to the other. "You said he was bit!"

"I thought he was!" Glenn pleaded quickly, struggling to get away from Daryl. "The roof fell, the walkers –"

"Did ya open yer damn eyes?!" Daryl snarled, throwing a finger back towards Gabriel.

"Hey!" Rick's voice bellowed through the room and he shot after Daryl to get between the two. "Enough of that!"

Now wasn't the time for this.

He had to push Daryl by the shoulders off of Glenn. "Enough!" He said to both of them, looking more towards Daryl's aggressive state.

The redneck let out a swear and Glenn took the opportunity to dart out of the room.

"I need someone to hold him down over here!" Hershel reminded them impatiently while he was trying to put another stitch in. The lack of restraints caused Gabriel's legs to jerk and his hips to twist in response.

"I got him!" Sasha jumped in to force one knee back down on the table. Tyreese quickly followed after her lead to restrain the other leg.

* * *

Gabriel gritted his teeth and got through the rest of the stitches while Rick gave Daryl a few quiet words, trying to calm the hunter down.

Sweat started to run down his forehead from the exertion and stress on his body. His eyes sought out Maggie again, her hands were holding down his right arm down, with sympathetic and pained eyes.

"Did you…" He tried speaking, but it came out a hoarse whisper. "get the truck?"

Maggie frowned in confusion, wondering where that came from.

"The truck?" Sasha spoke up, exchanging a brief look with Maggie. "The military one?"

Gabriel managed a nod, but then regretted it. The motion made him dizzy and his eyes lulled shut briefly. "Full of supplies," He mumbled off his lips.

This drew in Rick and Daryl's attention, along with Tyreese's while Hershel was finishing off the last stitches.

"Supplies? From where? The food store?" Sasha perked up at that word. They had chalked the entire trip up to being a waste, never mind a loss of life.

Of course… that's why it took him so damn long to get back.

They had no idea how hard it was to pull himself out the rubble and fight off of those walkers. Once he did though, he thought he would be damned if he came back from all of that with nothing to show for. He hadn't quite figured out if it was his sheer stubbornness that kept him alive, or pushed him to the point of collapsing by the time he got to the prison and passed out.

Gabriel didn't bother nodding this time. For how much he was sweating, his throat was dry as sandpaper. "'thought be a shame to leave them behind," He whispered with a weary cheek.

He received several mystified and blank stares.

Maggie clutched to his arm, still stunned in disbelief at seeing him alive and speaking after mourning for his death the night before.

"Wait a minute," Sasha recovered with a little sass in her voice. "Walkers and a _helicopter_ fell on top of you and your first thought was to go back for canned peas?"

In his defense, he thought the debris got him more than the helicopter, but he was too tired to explain all that.

Instead his eyes rolled over towards Rick, adding on with small grin, "And baby food." For Judith.

There was a pregnant pause before it was broken by Daryl snorting.

Sasha smiled in disbelief and shook her head. She exchanged the incredulous look with Tyreese. Some of the tension in the room eased – if not for the ridiculousness of it all.

"You're crazy, Pretty boy," Sasha decided then and there.

Gabriel felt a hand slip into his, drawing his eyes back to Maggie. She didn't say anything, but the exhausted and relieved smile on her face communicated more than what words could. He gave a small squeeze back as best he could.

His whole arm still throbbed, but the stitching was done. While they spoke, it Hershel gave a chance to inspect his shoulder. He raised Gabriel's arm and that caused him to hiss between his teeth in discomfort. Maggie's grip on his hand tightened.

"Rick, I've got an anterior dislocation here. I'm going to need a hand," Hershel declared grimly, announcing to the group but looking for help from Rick and Daryl.

Rick wasn't about to protest, "Just tell us what to do." He exchanged a nod with Daryl, whatever it took to get it done.

"A little space please, Maggie," He requested of his daughter. Even though she wanted to be by Gabriel's side, he was a strong young man and he would need the men to help hold him down. Maggie moved reluctantly away from Gabriel.

Gabriel watched her go, feeling her fingers slip between his while Rick took her place.

"Son," Hershel drew Gabriel's attention to the older man. He took a moment to explain to him seriously what he was about to do. "You have a dislocated shoulder. I'm going to have to try to put back into the socket before it causes any more nerve damage."

Hershel paused briefly, sighing because he had nothing to relieve what he was about to do to him. "It's not going to be pleasant, so I suggest you try to think of something that is."

Gabriel swallowed roughly, seeing that Hershel wasn't the type of man to sugarcoat or exaggerate things. "Do what you gotta do," He managed in response.

Numbly, he listened to Hershel give directions to Daryl and Rick.

Think of something pleasant? Admittedly, Gabriel didn't have a lot of pleasant things to think about. His eyes passed vaguely over the faces huddled around him. Tyreese and Sasha on his legs. Rick, Daryl and Hershel by his shoulders. He just let them manipulate his body, bracing himself for the pain that was about to come.

He didn't bother looking at the others in the room. His head turned to the right and looked past Rick to the brunette standing just a few feet away.

* * *

Maggie had her hands clasped over her mouth while she watched Gabriel being restrained on the table. His eyes sought her out with a desperate hope that broke her heart.

Hershel counted it out.

"One… two…"

Gabriel let out a guttural cry of pain. His eyes clenched shut and his head pulled back, the tendons in his neck straining. The others leant their weight against him to hold him down. Maggie barely heard the crunching noise in his shoulder.

She cringed from the way his expression twisted from the pain and his chest heaved several times before his head dropped again. He forced his eyes open, hissing heavily through his teeth. He was vulnerable and unable to hide it, but she was the only tether he had right now.

His eyes were as raw as the pain and exhaustion that he felt. They pleaded with her in ways that she could never possibly describe. But it was burned into her memory in a way that she would never forget.


	19. Switzerland

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M and aSprightlySoar: Yep! Glenn has quite a bit coming to him, this chapter and even more on the way. But of course, we got some lovely Mabriel too. And you're right, he's definitely going to get some more respect form the rest of the group too.

Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming and I'll keep writing!

Music: Hoobstank – The Reason

* * *

Switzerland

* * *

Despite the discomfort and throbbing, Gabriel was able to rotate his shoulder a bit after that. Hershel remained in the infirmary a while longer, to give him a look over. Rick and Daryl trickled out of the room along with the others, talking about bringing that truck into the prison.

Eventually, the room was reduced to Sasha, Maggie, Hershel and Gabriel. Michonne dropped in at one point, just to see for herself that Gabriel was alive, but she didn't say anything.

Maggie remained attentive by Gabriel's side. They agreed to let him rest and recover a bit before moving. She got water for him at one point.

No one bothered commenting on Maggie's hand grasping onto Gabriel's. Hershel did give it a few pointed looks.

It hadn't been lost on him the growing distance between her and Glenn lately. As a father that saw Glenn being a son to him, it worried him to see those hands together. Especially since he had a hunch today would push Glenn and Maggie even further apart.

* * *

"You know how your body feels better than any of us," Hershel declared, pushing himself up to a stand. His joints were stiff from it all. "When you're ready, I reckon you move back to your cell to lie down."

At this point, Gabriel was sitting upright on the patient table. His legs were hanging off the edge and his shoulder was now fitted with a sling. He wasn't a fan of the restriction, but he knew he needed it to recover. He figured it would be a good couple of weeks until his arm was better and even longer before it was back to normal.

"I think I got this," Gabriel declared, not wanting to be in the infirmary a minute longer. He placed his feet on the ground and wearily pushed himself up.

He felt the rush in his head and the ground move.

"Oh, not without help you don't!" Maggie spoke up, seeing the way he swayed. Her hand stopped his chest and she ducked under his right arm.

Gabriel opened his mouth to protest, but he stopped at the way Maggie wrapped his arm over her shoulders and supported him.

"You're a little bossy, you know that?" Gabriel said instead, wrinkling his nose slightly at Maggie.

Maggie shook her head while Sasha snickered at the two of them.

"Start moving," She ordered instead.

Just proving his point further, Gabriel thought to himself.

* * *

Sasha held the doors open for them while Gabriel made it back to the cellblock with Maggie, rather slowly he might add. His muscles were tense and sore from the all the exertion. It seemed like it was really starting to catch up with him now.

Gabriel didn't think going back to the cellblock would be any big deal.

People were moving in and out from the courtyard towards the cafeteria. Everyone had a bundle in their handles. Gabriel grinned faintly at seeing the convoy truck he stocked with the supplies sitting with the other vehicles. They were clearing out the back and taking inventory of what he recovered.

Carol had some of the children counting out the cans and reading the labels off while she took notes of what they had. The others moved the supplies to the shelves where she and Beth directed them.

When Gabriel and Maggie shoved into the recess room, almost everyone stopped what they were doing. It was the first time they got a look of the survivor, awake and looking better with the sling.

Gabriel kept shuffling forward with Maggie's help, her arm wrapped around his waist for support.

It started off slow and rather grating in the silence of the room.

The boy who reminded Gabriel a little of Harry Potter, Patrick started it off before Carl picked up on it too. From there, it rippled through the others, some of them even standing up.

Gabriel's mouth hung open a little, especially as he realized that everyone was clapping for him. He looked to Maggie in confusion and she just gave him a tight lipped grin in response, pulling him a little closer to her side.

Gabriel felt humbled by each face and pair of clapping hands. They looked at him like he was some sort of professional athlete brushing off a bad hit or maybe even a hero returning home. He gave them an appreciative nod before moving onto the cells.

Glenn was perhaps the only one that didn't clap for Gabriel. Instead, he hung in the back of the group and quietly glared at his fiancé helping another man off to bed.

* * *

"You really should think about a shower," Maggie commented, wrinkling her nose at the smell coming from his stained clothing.

She was easing Gabriel down onto his bed when she said that.

The Aussie just gave a groan and shook his head a little bit. "Too tired to even care," He mumbled. Sleep was calling his name, he could worry about hygiene later.

Maggie grinned slightly, finally starting to feel like everything would be okay. At least for Gabriel. He barely kicked off his shoes before leaning back against the mattress. His movements were stiff and lumbered.

"I'll shower after some shut eye," He declared, which would be sometime next year with how tired he was.

Maggie figured that was her cue to leave, but she looked down to his stomach. More specifically, she looked at the hand that was still clasped around hers. She bit her lip and felt his thumb run over her knuckles.

"What is it?" Maggie looked up at him, seeing the odd look in his eyes.

Gabriel gave a small motion that had some semblance to a shrug. "Just wondering if you're going to disappear when I close my eyes," He whispered gently. He couldn't help but think of their movie night and how she wasn't there when he woke up.

Maggie's expression softened, touched by it. "No, I'll be here," She promised this time. She gave his hand a brief squeeze before slipping away to let him rest.

* * *

Glenn was walking into the cell block when he heard the scrapping noises coming from the second level. He frowned slightly, trying to figure out what it was while he took the stairs quickly. Sure enough, there was shuffling and jostling noises coming from the direction of his and Maggie's cell.

Glenn came around the corner and froze at what he saw.

The scraping noise had come from the cots being pushed to the opposite sides of the cell, debunked from their double bed position he had shared with Maggie. More importantly, she had a bag on her shoulder that she was stuffing the last few articles of her clothing in.

"What are you doing?" Glenn blurted out in surprise.

"Packing, going to Switzerland," Maggie said curtly, tucking the sheets and blankets into the cot, sending a message with their impeccable and uninhabited appearance. She needed to get on some neutral ground and away to be able to really think for herself.

"What?" Glenn's expression twisted with confusion.

Maggie stood up slowly and deliberately. It was taking everything in her to keep her emotions in check at the moment. "I'm moving into the open cell on the lower level," She stated without any room for debate. It went without say that it was Bob's old cell, but he hardly been there long enough to have anything to clear out of it.

Glenn didn't like the idea, simply because it put Maggie with only one cell between her and Gabriel.

"You're leaving with me?" Glenn questioned. They had their disagreements, but this was pretty serious.

Maggie took a deep breath. "No. I just need some space, Glenn," She told him. It was normal, right? For couples to go through rough patches? That's what she told herself this was.

"Why?" Glenn shook his head in disbelief. After everything… "Is this because of what happened today? With Gabriel?" He spat out the name like a sour taste.

Maggie's shoulders stiffened and the tension her expression was his answer.

"Maggie," Glenn tried to plead his case. This couldn't be happening. "I swear, it was an honest mistake, I had –"

_Crack!_

Glenn's cheek didn't sting nearly as much as his pride did. His mouth hung open, his head turned slightly to the side while he mind numbly processed the fact his fiancé just slapped him.

"Don't you dare speak to me about honesty, Glenn," Maggie seethed, pointing an accusing finger at his face. Frustrated tears welled up in her eyes.

Glenn gasped, trying to get a word in edge wise, "I thought he was –"

"It doesn't matter!" Maggie's voice rose to a shriek before she reigned it back in. She was going to say what she had to say. "You told me he was dead, Glenn. That there wasn't even a _chance_."

She closed her eyes a moment to calm herself, her tone going lower and more forceful. "You _looked me in the eye_, Glenn," Much like the way that she was. And he promised her a lie. "And said he was dead."

His silence was long enough for Maggie to brush past him and march out of the cell.

* * *

Gabriel woke up from resting late in the day. He stirred with a sharp inhale and a fleeting moment of panic, trying to remember where he was. He relaxed when he realized he was back in his cot, even if it felt like he had been run over by the truck he used to get back to the prison.

He let out a grunt and his good hand rubbed at his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" The feminine voice from the floor startled him.

Gabriel looked over to see Maggie leaning her back against the wall and reading a book from the floor. She earmarked the page and watched him with concern.

"Better now," A grin tugged upon his cheeks, dimple and all.

Maggie snorted slightly, bowing her head and trying to ignore the double meaning behind his words. "How about that shower?" She suggested instead. "You stink like a walker."

Gabriel let out a groan, borderline pout that Maggie smirked at. "Fine… and food too!" He then added on, feeling the grumbling of his stomach.

* * *

Gabriel wasn't quite sure why she insisted on helping him. He could hobble his way down to the showers just fine on his own. But he did notice something was bothering Maggie, like she just needed to distract herself with anything, even if it was carrying his fresh change of clothes.

He thanked her briefly and Maggie said she would wait outside if he needed anything.

"Well, if you're offering…" He couldn't help but tease with his eyebrows rising.

"Not like that!" Maggie snapped at him, giving a roll of her eyes and shoving him lightly towards the showers.

Maggie anxiously waited while she heard the shower running from inside the room. She had her arms folded over her chest, trying to clear her head of everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. Everything was so backwards and messed up.

Eventually, the water shut off, but Maggie didn't pay it much mind.

It wasn't until Gabriel's voice came as he opened the door that she snapped out of it. "Is it too late to help me out here?" He asked sheepishly.

"Not at all, what do you…" Maggie leant off the wall and her voice trailed immediately as the door shut and revealed Gabriel. She numbly finished, "need?"

She didn't really see the smirk on his face because she was too busy staring at his naked torso. He was able to change into the new pants and shoes just fine. He had the sling in one hand with a fresh shirt.

Admittedly, he got the old ones off on his own, but it hurt like a bitch. He figured there had to be a better way.

Maggie stared at his chest and muscles, the curves and planes of his lean build. It was okay though, because she wasn't staring at those, but the bruising that was starting to form, right? She was slightly horrified by the hues of purples and blues that were starting to show along his left side, with the busted shoulder, from the debris that fell on him.

"I'm sorry," Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head to snap out of it. "What did you say?" She opened them again, looking at his face this time.

Gabriel smirked broadly and half shrugged. "Didn't," He disagreed before gesturing to the objects in his hand, "But do you mind?"

"Right," Maggie muttered quickly, reaching for the shirt.

It took several minutes of a coordinated effort to get the shirt over his head. Admittedly, Maggie had to stand on her toes to even help him do that. He winced briefly when he had one arm through. "Sorry," Maggie muttered and he said it was fine.

He got his shoulders through when his expression sobered thoughtfully. He stared down at the young woman with her arms practically around him, helping him.

"What are you doing?" He blurted out.

"Trying to get this hem to cooperate," Maggie muttered, leaning around his side and trying to tug the rest of the bunched up shirt down to her satisfaction.

"No, Margaret," Gabriel touched her shoulder with his right hand, causing her to stop. He then prompted her to look up at him with two fingers under her chin. "I mean, _what are you doing_?"

He knew where he stood with her and she was aware of that. He thought she made it pretty clear where she stood with him too.

But today, since he got back, all her actions spoke completely to the opposite.

Maggie swallowed thickly at his commanding gaze, her hands stilling at his waist. She was silent for a long time and he didn't back down from her. His eyes searched her expression for answers.

"I don't know," She whispered truthfully. "I really don't know what to think of anything anymore."


	20. My Brother's Keeper

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

So this chapter is for my Irish Rose fans out there and our favorite OTP. I'll give you guys a chance to figure out the meaning behind this chapter title, so make sure you tell me your theories! I'll announce who's right next chapter and explain it. (Also let me know what you think of the song selection to go with it)

Lmnop: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy it so far and I look forward to hearing from you more. That's such a wonderful compliment as a writer to hear that.

DetectiveMax/Beckett: Which do you prefer being called? But yeah, I thought of Maggie slapping Shane when I wrote that from season two.

aSprightlySoar: YUCK! I'm sorry that reminded you of Twilight. I was thinking of the diplomatic, historical significance. Mabriel is getting close, but it's still got a little bit to go. I want it to build up right and properly without being rushed. ;)

Music: Blink 182 – Adam's Song

* * *

My Brother's Keeper

* * *

Maggie sighed and shifted onto her right shoulder. She fluffed up the pillow underneath her cheek. Maybe she just needed the cooler side. She had enough blankets to make a cocoon from them.

Several minutes went by before she gave another frustrated sigh and turned over on her left shoulder. She had to catch herself from rolling too far this time. She had to make sure she didn't end up on the floor now. The new cell seemed smaller than the other one, even though it only had one cot in it and it was mostly empty because she hadn't moved much into it.

Maybe she couldn't fall asleep because she didn't put up a privacy sheet yet? The moonlight was filtering through the bars, seeming brighter than she could imagine it would naturally be.

Giving up for the moment, Maggie sat up on the creaky cot and placed her feel against the musty cement floor. She ran her hands through her hair.

It didn't help that her mind was racing with everything going on lately. She thought back to her conversation with Gabriel outside of the showers and that question he bore into her. She didn't have an answer for him or anyone, but she really wanted to.

Instead, he just gave her a small nod and a one-armed hug. She helped him put on his sling and they went off to find him some food. She wasn't sure if his patience made it even harder or easier on her.

* * *

Gabriel was tucked underneath the blankets of his bed. He managed to get the sling off on his own, he wasn't going to sleep wearing it. In the late hours of the night, his legs curled up with a book propped against them and a flashlight in one hand.

He had found the prison library with the help of one of the rather giddy and eager blonde young girls. One dimple filled smile and she led him to the bookshelves. He picked out a few, figuring he would at least attempt to enjoy his recovery time.

His eyes flickered off the page when he felt the presence. He looked up to see Maggie hovering anxiously in the entrance to his cell. She had her arms wrapped around her, clutching onto one elbow. She was dressed in less than what he used to seeing her with, a tank top and a pair of shorts for sleeping.

"Hey," She whispered to him gently, shifting her weight uncertainly on her feet.

"Hey," Gabriel said back to her, lifting himself off the pillows a bit to get a better look at her. "Couldn't sleep?" He guessed from her shy demeanor.

Maggie shook her head. "New bed and cell… Just not quite the same, you know?" She fumbled over the words, going with that excuse for her restlessness. In truth, she wasn't familiar with the cell and the ones she were was the one she was trying to avoid and Gabriel's.

"Sure," Gabriel nodded numbly. He couldn't sleep his first night here either, but then again that might have had more to do with being locked in the cell than anything else.

They stared at each other and Maggie didn't move.

It occurred to Gabriel then. She didn't want to be alone. Truthfully, neither of them really wanted to. He flicked off the flashlight and closed the book. "Alright, come here," Gabriel said lightly while he dropped the two objects to the floor.

Maggie took a half step forward, but doubted herself. "Are you sure?" She questioned aloud, not really sure if she was asking him or herself. "I probably shouldn't…"

Gabriel's hand paused in the air from lifting the blankets. He just growled out in a teasingly aggravated tone, "Get over here, Margaret." He wasn't going to offer twice.

Maggie clamped her mouth shut at the look he gave her. She ended up biting her lip to hide the small smile before crossing the room to join him. He shifted over on the bed to make sure she had enough room.

He left his right arm open for her to curl up against his side. Neither one of them really said anything while Gabriel pulled the blanket around him. He ended up lying on his back with Maggie's head on his shoulder and one hand on his chest. He felt her adjusting and getting comfortable.

"Is this okay?" She asked out of concern, hearing a slight stiff groan from him.

"Yeah," He replied back before adding on, "Just try not to touch… like the entire left side of my body." You know, where Big Spot and the National Guard fell on top of him.

"Right," Maggie murmured meekly, pulling her hand back towards her a little bit, hoping she didn't hit any of his bruises.

* * *

Gabriel had to admit he slept rather well that night given the circumstances. His shoulder throbbed from the injury. They didn't exactly have ice packs to help reduce the swelling in his shoulder or the bruising. But it did help to have a beautiful brunette curled up into his side the entire night.

He looked forward to waking up and seeing her face with her body half sprawled across him.

But of course, he should have known the bed would be cold when he woke up. As cold as the stone that she wore on her finger.

He wearily opened his eyes and found her side of the bed empty. The blankets were pulled back from the way she had slipped out sometime during the night or early morning.

Gabriel rubbed his eyes and let out a groan, letting his head fall back against the pillow. The mixed signals she was sending him was going to be the death of him.

* * *

Daryl was the one to find the surprise that Gabriel had brought back for the group amongst the supplies. It was the last box that was crammed behind the driver's seat of the military convoy truck. He had just been mindlessly picking through the vehicle when he discovered it.

The redneck gave a hoot and a holler that caused several heads to turn in his direction. He pulled out the cardboard box and cradled it to his chest like it was baby Judith.

He walked over to Carol, who was helping prep some of the lunch.

"I'm gettin' shitfaced drunk tonight," He declared, showing the older woman some of the glass handles and labels.

Carol snorted and shook her head, remembering what Daryl was like at the CDC. "Save some for me," She smirked at him while he marched off to show Rick his findings.

* * *

Gabriel sighed gently from the guard tower that night. Looking down at the courtyard, he could see the small fire circle that the adults had going and the folding chairs. The bottles of liquor that he had rescued were being passed around. It wasn't much, just one box, but he figured the adults would appreciate it.

He grinned at the laughter that carried up to his ears.

He took watch that night too. He had his leather jacket over his shoulders, just through one sleeve with the sling underneath the open flaps. He only carried a pistol, it would be a while before he could shoot his rifle again. He carried a radio with him, to walkie in to the others if he saw anything.

Mindlessly, he walked around to the front of the guard tower and stared out at the field. The walkers weren't all that rowdy tonight, it was an appreciated relief.

Maggie emerged from the tower door and stepped out onto the balcony. Gabriel looked up from his spot at the railing to see she was dressed in much more this time. It was that horrendous brown suit, but he let it slide since it was a little chilly out this evening.

"Mind helping a girl out?" She grinned at him, holding up the small handle of whiskey that she had just broken into.

Gabriel grinned at her offering, but just gave a bashful shake of his head. "Nah, I don't drink," He admitted frankly.

Maggie's brow furrowed while she closed the distance between them. "You brought back all that liquor," She pointed out dubiously because normally people their age didn't say such things, "And you don't drink?"

Gabriel shook his head while she took the spot on the railing next to him, almost brushing shoulder to shoulder. "No, I've been sober four years now." He glanced back towards the glows of the fire against the brick buildings, "I thought the others would appreciate it though."

"Oh…" Maggie mumbled, thinking that was an oddly selfless thing to do. She fixated on the first part though and asked curiously, "What happened four years ago?"

She remembered her father stopped drinking the day she was born with one exception.

Gabriel looked away from her and towards the tree line. She was close enough to see his Adam's apple bob from a forced swallow, collecting his thoughts.

"Where I grew up… it was a tight community, everyone knew everybody kind of thing. And there was this accident," He began slowly. It wasn't something he normally talked about, but with Maggie, he felt like it was okay to open to her about this.

"An accident with a couple of my friends," He clarified. "There were these two brothers, twins… Like you couldn't tell them apart." They had used that to their advantage on more than one occasion, in good fun.

His lips then quirked at the memory, adding on, "Except for Cole, the younger one, he couldn't grow a beard for the life of him." Gabriel absently rubbed at the scruff on his chin.

Maggie grinned slightly from that detail, but didn't interrupt.

"Anyway, they were home on leave for their birthday… They decided to go out to a party with some friends. Alexia, Cole's girlfriend and another friend of ours, Henry," Gabriel's expression became somber as he recalled.

The more he spoke, the more Maggie was drawn into the story and felt the trepidation. She knew it wasn't going to be good from the moment he said there was an accident.

"When they were leaving, Cole's brother decided he was the_ most_ sober of the bunch so he should drive," Gabriel's knuckles were white against the railing. "It was just a couple miles down the road to get home."

"He missed the red light in between."

Maggie felt herself biting a little bit harder on her lip as she listened.

"A semi-truck hit the passenger side."

Gabriel took a moment to gather his voice again before proceeding.

"The doctors said that Alexia died instantly from the impact."

A hand went over Maggie's mouth, the other clutched the bottle tighter to keep it from dropping.

"Cole died while they were trying to pull him out of the car – a piece of shrapnel had gone through his chest."

Maggie could imagine the wreckage and twisted metal wrapped around a semi-truck, the flashing lights and panic of people trying to pull the bodies out.

"And Henry died a week later in the hospital when they took him off life support."

Maggie was stunned silent for a long time, not expecting the story to take such a grave turn. There were bad accidents and then there were tragedies.

When she recovered, she had to ask, "And Cole's brother?" Was there any silvering lining in this? She wondered if there could be.

Gabriel just gave a brief shrug of his shoulders before admitting bitterly, "He walked away with a couple of broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a bad bump to the head."

Maggie shook with disbelief and horror. "What happened to him?" She couldn't imagine what she would possibly do if it had been her with Shawn and Beth in the car.

"Things were never really the same again," Gabriel stated frankly. "You don't really come back from that…" It hit the community hard.

"Anyway, he quit the military and left. No one saw him again," He said finally, staring off at the horizon. The person he had been died in that vehicle along with his brother and friends.

Maggie stood by his side while she processed all of that. She could get it now. That would turn her off from a lot of things in life, liquor especially, if it happened to her.

"You were close to them, weren't you?" She questioned, seeing how it affected him the most to talk about the twins, especially Cole. It would scare her sober if it was her friends, too.

"Yeah," Gabriel sighed out in an odd tone. "You could say that." His good arm reached into the pocket of his jacket.

He pulled out a pair of metal objects and offered them out to Maggie to look at. The brunette hesitantly took them, receiving a reassuring nod from Gabriel to do so.

They were a pair of dog tags on a chain. In the darkness, Maggie ran her fingers over the raised lettering and had to squint at them to read them. While she did, Gabriel wandered around the balcony, trying to clear his head and nerves.

For a moment, she marveled at how they were slightly different than the American ones. Of course, she didn't really have a clue what the division and numbers meant. There was a birthdate on it as well. And then the name:

_Cole Michaels_

Maggie frowned sympathetically, feeling her eyes tearing a little bit at the thought of Gabriel still carrying around his friend's dog tag.

She flipped over to the next one. It had the same numbers and division, and even the birthdate. There was one difference that caused Maggie's stomach to twist uncomfortable and the whiskey she did sip feel like a poison in her gut.

She looked down at the whiskey bottle in her other hand. She stared at a moment before deciding it wasn't even worth it. Without a second thought, Maggie threw it over the railing and into the darkness. It was the second name that broke her heart.

_Gabriel Michaels_


	21. Puppy Kisses

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

So last chapter I took modern day twists on the names of characters from Irish Rose. Maggie/Kol are the pairing from that which is represented by Gabriel's twin brother. The My Brother's Keeper comes from the fact if Cole never died, then Gabriel never would have left for the US. Therefore, Cole had to die for Gabriel to ever meet her.

Thanks, Beckett and M, it was tricky to write that without giving it away until the ending. ;) In light of the gut-wrencher, here's a more fluffy chapter – but still important development.

Music: Modest Mouse – Float On

* * *

Puppy Kisses

* * *

Adjusting to life in the new cell was an up and down experience for Maggie over the next series of days. Naturally, it drew a lot of attention from the other survivors. Maggie had to explain over and over how she was just taking some space from Glenn while they sorted things out.

Maggie grew less confident that things would work out with each time she had to explain it.

She had many conversations with Glenn. Sometimes it felt like they were talking about nothing at all, but just going around in circles. She did make an effort though. She did try to spend to time with him before the inevitable tensions would surface. She still sat next to him at meal times, just as not as closely as before.

Spending time with Gabriel was completely different.

Being so close to his cell, Maggie found herself wandering in his direction frequently, especially since he was resting and recovering. Sometimes they just sat in his cell, whether she was on the floor or shared space on the bed. They talked and read, even if it was different books in the company of another.

Hershel was hobbling down the cellblock, heading towards the cafeteria when he heard the subdued laughter coming from Gabriel's cell.

Gabriel was making faces at Maggie while she was trying to read.

"Stop it," She hissed behind a giggle at the puffed cheek and cross eyed look he gave her before grinning.

"Stop what?" Gabriel blinked, deadpanning into an innocent expression.

Maggie picked up a pillow and smacked him with it.

"Omph," Gabriel grunted and attempted to shield his shoulder with his book. "That hurt," He jutted his lower lip out in a pout.

"No it didn't, you big baby," Maggie rolled her eyes at him and stuffed the pillow back behind her.

Gabriel gave a mockingly appalled gasp. "Ms. Greene! Your patient bedside manners are horrendous," He reprimanded her, letting his accent slip out thickly.

Hershel cocked his head thoughtfully at Maggie laughing next to Gabriel. He heard that sound so rarely lately. He decided not to interrupt them and kept walking.

* * *

Gabriel was a glutton for punishment.

He took Maggie's company like a sweet elixir that left him craving for more with each sip. She had no idea how many times he caught himself looking at her. He just wanted to grab her and kiss her. He had seriously thought about it several times too.

But he still had recover with his shoulder and he remembered what happened last time that happened. He didn't want to push her away.

He took what he got. It would be enough. For now.

He took it in the form of the few nights she wandered into his cell, unable to sleep. After the second time, she didn't even need to say anything and he pulled back the covers for her. He took it in the time that she spent in his cell, sometimes with mindless chit chatter or picking through the books and movies he found. She even sat with him twice at meal time, but he figured out that was because Glenn wasn't in the room.

* * *

Hershel checked in on the boy daily. Admittedly, before all of this happened, he wasn't a doctor, he was a vet. Yes, he knew how anatomy worked, but it was always different working on actual people than animals. They didn't feel the pain and emotions the same way that people do.

He checked with Gabriel to see how his range of motion was improving. He gave him a few exercises to run through every day, to help him recover. The swelling started to go down over the next couple of days, which was a good sign.

Through these interactions, he picked up on the gentle nature of the boy. He looked dangerous at first glance. Anyone in a black leather jacket with scruff and a sniper rifle did. But he was quiet and very respectful of Hershel, probably a little bit scared of him and that was just fine.

* * *

"Seriously?" Carl groaned at the paw that was swiping at his lap for attention. He scowled down from his lunch plate at Rocky.

The pup dropped her paw, sitting on her hinder legs and staring up at the freckled face boy.

"I told you," Gabriel smirked from behind a mouthful of food. "It only takes one time." He had tried to warn him against feeding the bag of fur.

Rocky's tongue darted out sloppily over her mouth, not even blinking as she looked up at Carl and her ears perked forward.

Carl shook his head and grumbled something, but Gabriel didn't hear it. He was distracted by the tray smacking down on the table and the third person joining the table.

It wasn't Maggie because she was sitting across the room with a sour Glenn.

Gabriel frozen in mid-chew as Michonne sat down without a word or flicker of hesitation. Carl only gave her a half interested glance before continuing on with his meal. The African woman didn't even look up at Gabriel openly staring at her with confusion.

She just plopped down like she owned the damn place. The slightly immature side of him was wondering she was doing at his table.

Gabriel looked to Carl and his eyes widened a little, giving a faint head jerk towards the invader, as if to say, 'What the hell, kid?'

Carl just smirked at him but didn't say anything.

Michonne took the first three bites, one by one and Gabriel's fork hung in the air through all of them. Her mouth rolled through the chews as if he didn't even exist.

… Okay.

Gabriel turned his gaze to his food, absently stirring the food around on his plate.

Michonne spoke up after ten paranoia inducing minutes in a low and formidable tone, "Story has it you were found trying to force yourself on Maggie."

Gabriel's fork scrapped loudly against the plate. He gritted his teeth together and took a deep breath to control his reaction. It wasn't any rumor he hadn't before, but it still made his blood boiled to be accused of doing such a thing to a woman.

"Is that so?" He said dryly, looking up to a cool gaze from Michonne.

She stared at the young man pointed before deciding, "Personally, I don't see it." There was a certain crazed and hunger-starved look in the eyes of the type of man that it takes to do it that. She didn't see it in Gabriel.

He gave her an impassive stare back. "What do you see?" He questioned carefully, not particularly clear at what she aiming at. She was about as warm and welcoming as a porcupine.

"I don't know," Michonne studied him carefully and the defensive nature of his posture. She countered instead, "Why don't you tell me a story I can believe?"

Gabriel's tongue rolled over his teeth apprehensively. His gaze flickered over to Carl briefly, who was watching the exchange with eagerness.

Over at the food line, Rick Grimes grabbed his tray and turned around. He was surprised to see Michonne over by Gabriel, but figured why not and started walking towards the table.

Gabriel weighed his options briefly. He and Maggie had previously agreed not to talk about it, but maybe it would be good now to dispel their initial impression of him. If he ever wanted to move past it, he would have to.

"Okay," Gabriel sat up a little straighter in his seat and put the fork down. "I was heading through the woods with Rocky, trying to find the prison." They already knew why he was looking for the prison.

Gabriel nodded down to Rocky. "Skinny legs over here found one of your traps, had a wild boar in it. Immediately she ran ahead to check out, too excited and stupid to even know what to do with it." He smirked at Rocky.

The pup gave a whine, not from his words but still waiting for food to appear in Carl's hand.

At this point, Rick placed his tray down next to Gabriel. The Aussie paused briefly while the Sheriff sat down and gave a respectful nod for him to continue.

Fucking hell, Gabriel thought in the back of his mind, now he had an audience.

"Anyway," Gabriel cleared his throat to continue, feeling the eyes on him. "I guess Maggie found Rocky or something, because by the time I caught up with her – Maggie was on her knee getting puppy kisses," He recalled.

He remembered the way he stopped in awe and surprise at the sight of the stranger. He didn't even bother making his presence known. For just that one moment, he watched the smile on Maggie's face, twisted somewhere between disgust and delight at the tongue lapping out on her face. Rocky's tail wagged from the scratches behind her ear.

No one interrupted him, they just waited for him to continue. Rick knew that Tyreese and Maggie had gone out to clear the traps that day.

"I don't think she heard the dead coming up behind her," Gabriel continued onto the part that had scared them. "Chicken shit here," He gestured down to Rocky, "Ran off and by the time Maggie turned around it was already on top of her."

"So I ran after her and killed it, just praying she wasn't bit," Gabriel recalled frankly. "I helped her up to her feet, asked her if she was okay." He remembered she was too stunned to answer him, just barely nodding her head. He left out the part about where he tucked her hair behind her ear and touched her cheek. That was a moment they would never understand.

"That's when Tyreese found us and you know the rest," Gabriel hated to admit how bad it might have looked to others.

"Why did you help her? You didn't know her," Carl blurted out, the most suspicious of newcomers of the three at the table. Gabriel didn't know about the boy he had gunned down after the Woodbury attack.

Gabriel was silent while he thought about it. His eyes wandered over to Maggie, who occasionally stole interested glances to the full table.

"You're right, I didn't," He stated frankly. "But I thought to myself, there are enough horrible things in this world… I couldn't let anything happen to one of the few beautiful things we have left."

The three prison survivors exchanged a look while Gabriel laid the affection they already had a suspicion of out in the open.

That was a story Michonne could believe.


	22. Playing House

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

If there was ever to be a Gleggie separation on the show, I feel like the conversations in this chapter really should be had!

Anyway, M and aSprightlySoar, I think you'll be happy with the direction of this chapter.

Music: The Fray – How to Save a Life

* * *

Playing House

* * *

Maggie had her fingers wrung tightly together with her forearms against her knees. She had to squint a little in the afternoon sunlight while she sat on the top of the picnic table. She felt stiff with the arm wrapped around her waist, but that was more from the conversation she was having.

She couldn't place the rotten feeling it was inciting within her.

"If the weather is bad, I think there would be enough room for everyone in the cafeteria," Glenn threw out, fishing for some sort of positive reaction with hope. Admittedly, it was hard with the scowl that seemed to be permanently etched on Maggie's features.

"The same room that Rick cut off my father's leg," Maggie pointed out grimly.

Glenn cringed from that one. Good point, maybe that wasn't the best place for a joyous occasion. Especially if Hershel was going to try to walk her down the aisle.

"What about the exercise field? That could be nice," Glenn suggested hopefully. With the grass and the plants that they were growing, it would definitely be an improvement over the concrete and brick walls.

"Right next to the pigs and chickens," Maggie frowned blandly. How romantic, the smell of feces and chickens clucking to interrupt the ceremony.

Glenn rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Okay, that sounded like a bad idea too when she put it like that.

"How about the rooftop?" Glenn perked up as the idea came to him. He turned and gestured back to the same rooftop that Gabriel had perched himself on all those weeks ago. "I imagine the view would pretty good from there," He added on, thinking of how far they could see around them from that height.

It would be a little bit tricky to get everyone up there, but they could make it work.

"Yeah, view of the walkers at the fences," Maggie dashed that bitterly.

Glenn pulled his arm back from round her to rub his face in aggravation. He sighed afterwards and looked her frankly.

"Listen, I'm trying here, Maggie," He said. He didn't know what else to do. He had apologized several times over, but it always seemed to slide just right off her shoulders. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking. He hated how it reminded him of their first fights back on the farm.

"I really am…" He tried to plead with her.

Maggie bit her lip and stared down at her hands. She twisted the ring on her finger uncomfortably before declaring what was on her mind. She looked him bluntly in the eyes, "Then maybe now is not the time to be planning a wedding."

Glenn blinked and his mouth fell open. "What?"

That didn't stop Maggie from getting up and walking off abruptly. What exactly did she mean by that? Was it not the time to plan a wedding now… or ever?

* * *

Gabriel was cutting through the courtyard with Carl in tow when he saw Maggie coming from the opposite direction. She looked upset, but she didn't look up from the ground. He frowned and stared after her as she went.

"So how much longer do you have to wear that?" Carl pointed towards the sling on Gabriel's shoulder.

He reluctantly looked back to Carl, filing away the concern in the back of his mind. "Another week, I figure," He said. Then he flashed a teasing smirk, "And then I'll take ya on the court."

He nodded towards one of the basketball hoops.

"Yeah, right," Carl called on his bluff.

* * *

Maggie caught up with her father in the cafeteria. It was an odd time of day and therefore pretty quiet. He was sitting at a table by himself, with some of the green tomatoes and a plate of salt. She sat down across from him, watching him splice open the tomatoes before dabbing them in the salt.

"I hope you realize how unhealthy that is," Maggie wrinkled her nose at it, she never understood why he liked that combination so much. All the sodium…

Hershel stood and gave her an undeterred look through his wispy, white features. "I'm not too worried about high cholesterol killing me," He stated and took a very obvious bite from the tomato. Some of the juice trickled down onto his beard.

Maggie snorted slightly. She stared down at her hands clasped together on the table top.

After being silent too long for his patience, Hershel urged her, "You got something on your mind?"

Maggie nodded her head. She picked at some dirt under her thumb nail before looking up at him. "Can I tell you something and you won't judge me for? Even if you just listen," She pleaded.

Hershel blinked at her shy and nervous demeanor. Frankly, he had wondered how long it would be before she came and talked to him. He had a hunch whatever was weighing on her mind was too mature for her to talk to Beth about.

Hershel carefully set the knife down on the table to give her his full attention. "Maggie," He said gently in a paternal way. "You've long since grown past the age of me being able to tell you what's right and wrong. I can only offer my advice and hope you make the right decision on your own… Now, what's bothering you?"

Maggie grinned appreciatively at her father. She nodded and took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Do you remember that May afternoon Mrs. Fischer came over and told Annette about her divorce?" She asked carefully.

"I do," Hershel nodded, intrigued by the topic. He hadn't been there, but Annette told him about it afterwards.

"Well, I overheard them talking in the kitchen," Maggie admitted shyly. She shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but she just couldn't help it. "I remember her talking about Amanda going off to college and how different things were. She said she had nothing in common with John and she felt like just two strangers playing house."

Hershel frowned deeply at this, not particularly approving of what Maggie heard and how it was clearly bothering her, but he promised to be patient and not interrupt.

"And I just got so_ angry_ with her," Maggie recalled. She didn't confront or even say anything to Mrs. Fischer, but the feeling was there. "I thought after three children and being married all of those years, '_How_ could she even say that?'"

Hershel sighed, understanding what she meant. Maybe she was too young at the time to understand it, but it was something that was unfortunately more common than she realized. "Life has its way of pushing people together and pulling them apart," He declared fairly. "And sometimes by the time we know what's happening, it's already gone."

He counted himself lucky that he and his wife had not gone that way. The times weren't easy, but they were together until the end.

Maggie nodded sadly. "I've been thinking about me and Glenn lately…" She said, feeling her nerves fluttering from voicing her thoughts aloud.

Hershel pressed his lips together tightly. He had a feeling the conversation would take this turn and he felt no need to rush it along.

"I've been thinking about what we have," She murmured, looking absently away from Hershel. It was easier that way. "If you took away the basic things… the physical –"

Hershel cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted in his seat. He loved Maggie, but there were some things as a father he'd rather not hear about.

"If you took away the walkers, Woodbury… just trying to _survive_," Her voice strained. All those things that kept them breathing, but not living. "What would we have left? What would be holding us together?"

She thought about the things they talked about and did together. Half of the prison knew what they did together.

The things they talked about, from day one, she remembered it being about walkers. She remembered trying to convince him not to be walkerbait. It was about the walkers in the barn. It was about the walkers overrunning farm. It was about the walkers in the prison.

Walkers. Keep Maggie safe. Kill the Governor. Keep Maggie safe. Walkers.

That was how Glenn thought and talked to Maggie. After months of being together, she knew him, but at the same time she really didn't. She knew his name, the names of his family members that he lost, and where he came from. But she didn't know what interested him, just little things like what he enjoyed reading, did he enjoy reading?

She didn't know what made him happy. It was all about surviving.

"And what did you come up with?" Hershel's voice brought her back to reality.

Maggie looked at her hands, picking at the dirt under her nails before her gaze meet the gentle blues of her father. She admitted the only conclusion she could come to, "Two strangers playing house."

* * *

Maggie's conscious felt a little clearer after her conversation with Hershel, but her heart was heavy with reality.

She spent a few minutes in her cell, just tiding things up. She picked up her clothes that she left strewn on the floor and tossed them into an empty, waiting laundry basket. She adjusted her shoes under her bed, so she wouldn't be tripping them over.

She was straightening out the pillows and blankets on her bed when she heard the crinkling of paper. Frowning slightly, she pulled out the note that had been tucked under pillow. She didn't need to recognize the handwriting to know who it was from.

_Movie night. Your pick?_

A small smile tugged up on her features.


	23. Restraint

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I will say before you read this chapter, Maggie is flawed, she's not a perfect person and she does make mistakes – which is why I love her and I hope everyone doesn't judge her too harshly for her actions this chapter.

Anyway, that's funny everyone thought Glenn was awkward last chapter! I actually felt bad for how desperate the guy was haha.

Much love to M, aSprightlySoar and Beckett!

Music: Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight

* * *

Restraint

* * *

Maggie pursed her lips while she flipped through the DVD cases on the shelf. At some point, she would have to ask Gabriel where he picked more of them at. It was certainly hard to figure out what the previous owner was like because the selection was all over the place.

"How about _Avatar_?" Maggie suggested, holding out the case with the blue faces for Gabriel to see.

He was slouched back against the bed, propped up the pillows and fidgeting with new batteries for the DVD player. He paused to look at it, his expression scrunching up slightly. "Oh yeah," He recognized the title vaguely. "I never got a chance to see that one…"

"Really?" Maggie looked at him oddly.

"Toss it here," Gabriel held a hand out for it. She followed his request and he caught it easily.

"Were you living under a rock before or something?" Maggie teased him. It was a pretty popular movie when it came out. It seemed weird to hear of someone that hadn't seen it before.

Gabriel snorted and muttered while popping the case open, "Yeah, it's called Australia."

Maggie grinned, absently flipping through the rest of the movies. It was pretty late at night. She had to wait for him to get off his watch shift. She had on a baggy slightly oversized shirt that hung off one shoulder and a pair of shorts.

Maggie came over when Gabriel called out for her after getting changed himself. He was dressed down in a cotton shirt and a pair of pants that Maggie hadn't really decided if they were pajama pants or sweats. Gabriel ditched the sling for the rest of the night too.

She stopped and looked back at him as a thought occurred to her. He caught the DVD with his left hand.

"How's your shoulder?" Maggie asked.

Gabriel moved it back and forth, testing it out as he spoke. "You know," He said honestly. "It's actually feeling pretty good, as long as I don't raise it too…" Gabriel winced, "Ow. Much."

Maggie shook her head at him, "Smooth."

Gabriel dropped his arm back down to his side and shot her a rueful look.

"So no jumping-jacks or YMCA tonight for you," Maggie taunted.

"Pretty much," Gabriel smirked before padding the spot next to him. "C'mere."

Maggie flopped down on the bed before shuffling up to sit next to Gabriel. She nestled her back against the pillows and didn't bother to say anything about the arm that pulled her closer into his side.

He already had the DVD player cued up with the movie. She slouched down a little further than him, tucking her head against his shoulder. She took the ear bud he offered out to her with a small grin.

While the previews cycled through, Maggie felt the slight rumble in his chest as he whispered, "Earlier you seemed pretty upset… Are you okay?"

Maggie bit her lip before answering him. She was lucky she hadn't started bleeding from the nervous habit and all the anxiety lately. "Yeah," She said honestly. "I'll be okay. I just have to sort some things out…" But it wasn't going to be tonight.

Tonight she would just enjoy something as normal as watching a movie.

Gabriel frowned thoughtfully but didn't say anything. It wasn't his place to pry. Instead, he just tucked his chin against the top of her head and watched the movie.

* * *

Maggie didn't fall asleep this time. She had to admit it was rather distracting trying to focus on the film. Gabriel remained silent and attentive, having never seen it before. But his hand moved distractingly on her arm, stroking his thumb against her skin.

When the movie was over, Maggie didn't make a move to leave and Gabriel didn't seem to mind so much. Heck, he kind of figured on her falling asleep and staying like she had the other nights.

He enjoyed the movie for what it was; an escape from reality. They traded quiet whispers in the darkness of the cell block while he recalled his favorite parts. He watched Maggie's smile in the glow of the player's screen.

They were sitting up on the bed, legs crossed next to each other when the thought occurred to him. "Oh, I've been meaning to show this to you…" His voice trailed off while he moved the player off his lap and stretched to reach his jacket hanging on the cot post.

He pulled out the glossed sheet of paper before leaning back and showing it to Maggie.

It was a picture. "Oh wow…" Maggie gasped, her fingers ran over the image. It had been folded and obviously worn. Gabriel placed an arm behind her, leaning into her personal space and watching her reaction.

Two young men stared back at her with broad cheery smiles and one arm thrown over each other. They were dressed from head to toe in the camouflage of army fatigues.

"It's you and Cole," Maggie murmured, staring at the identical faces looking back at her.

Gabriel didn't say anything, he just leaned into her shoulder, his lips pressed against her skin without actually kissing her and nodded.

Based on the red and green wreaths with tinsel in the background, Maggie guessed it was taken around Christmas time. Maggie stared at it in awed silence. She was humbled he was sharing something so personal with her, but also sad knowing what happened to his twin.

She smiled at the photo. "You're right, he does have the baby face," She commented, not seeing a single hair on Cole's chin compared to Gabriel's scruff. It made them look very different, but yet the same.

Gabriel grinned and leaned back from her shoulder. He ran some fingers along his jaw lightly. "I always gave him grief for it," He said. Cole's attempts came out wiry and patchy at best.

Maggie rolled her eyes and passed the photo back to him. She could hear his ego inflating. "It's just a beard… Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the mustache," She replied.

Gabriel took the photo and tucked it away. He gave her an indignant look, "What's wrong with my 'stache?"

Maggie grinned at the self-conscious way he touched it.

"Well you know," Maggie enjoyed messing him with a little bit. "It kind of scratches and tickles when you –" But then she stopped, slapping a hand over her mouth at what she almost thoughtlessly blurted out.

Gabriel's eyes lit up mischievously. "When you what?" He prompted her.

"Nothing," Maggie denied quickly behind her hand.

He narrowed on her playfully, leaning a little closer to her face. "Mm, nope, I'm pretty sure you were about to say something…"

Maggie shook her head. He saw the corners of her lips shielded by her hand.

"Is it when I do…" Gabriel lunged towards Maggie, "This!"

She let out a shriek of a laugh. Gabriel buried his face into her neck, nuzzling back and forth. Her giggles were made even worse by the fingers that went to her side, tickling her.

Sure, she probably woke someone else up in the cellblock, but she didn't care.

Gabriel let Maggie squirm away from his assault after a few moments. She was shaking her head at him, trying to calm herself down.

"No? Not that?" He said with a mock innocent expression, as if it was very serious investigation to get to the bottom of.

"No," Maggie whispered back, her expression morphing into something else. He could see it in the darkness because his face was hovering inches from hers.

Something changed in that brief moment from the lighthearted teasing to the silence of just their breathing and Gabriel leaning over Maggie.

His eyes dared to wander down from hers to her lips. A hand snaked up to the back of his neck and pulled him down to her.

One moment her lips were on his and the next his were moving against them. He inhaled sharply, letting his senses focus on the feel and softness of her. She wasn't shy this time and he was so hungry. He craved her touch for so long.

Maggie got to feel her fingers along his jaw, against the coarseness of his hair before they disappeared into his locks. She felt a faint growl against her lips when she tugged on the back of his head.

Her back hit the mattress and she felt him hovering over her, even though he had to favor his right arm. His left hand ran along her side, down to her waist and hip.

His tongue flickered against her lower lip before her lips parted and pushed into her mouth. The air got warmer and heavier. Her left leg was trapped by his sinking down on either side against the mattress. Naturally, her right leg curled up against his hip when she felt his hand under her thigh.

Her fingers dug gently into his scalp and the other against his shoulder blade. She felt lost between reveling in the feel and the way he kissed her, but also wanting to feel more.

* * *

The silence of the prison was oppressive though. It felt as if there was only Gabriel's breathing pounding in his head and Maggie's underneath him. There was still life however.

It was a cough in the distance and the shuffling of someone else on the upper level that snapped Gabriel out of it.

He broke his lips away from Maggie and took his hand away from her breast to brace himself against the mattress. He buried his face against her shoulder to recover his breathing and staunch the frustrated groan that threatened to fall from his lips.

"Gabriel?" Maggie whispered in confusion into his ear. Her body squirmed slightly, aching from the way he stopped so abruptly.

"Get out of here, Margaret," Gabriel ordered gruffly in response.

"_What_?" Maggie pulled her shoulders back, trying to get a good look at him. "Why?"

What the hell?

He lifted his head to look her in the eyes, the intensity of his gaze Maggie found rather arousing. He plucked one of her hands from his shoulders and pulled it down between their bodies, to show rather than explain why.

Maggie gasped and felt the blood rushing to her cheeks as he rather boldly placed her hand over his crotch. Through the cotton fabric, she could feel his growing erection throbbing against her hand.

"This is what you do to me, Margaret," His whispering drew her eyes back up to his face.

He wanted her so badly, and he was so close to just saying to hell with it all and not caring who heard them.

"And I'm not going to warn you again," He promised, his tone really implying next time.

Maggie swallowed thickly, feeling herself shaking with emotions; mortification, embarrassment, frustration and excitement. There was one unspoken thing between them though.

Maggie saw it when she looked down at her hand once more. The stone and metal on her finger glistened back at her mockingly while she touched another man.

Snapping out of it, Maggie nodded her head abruptly and squirming out from underneath Gabriel. He closed his eyes and didn't look up at Maggie's retreating form from his cell while she tugged her shirt back down into place. It was better that he didn't see her swollen lips or frazzled hair.

Gabriel rolled over onto his back, running his hands through his hair in aggravation. He rubbed his eyes. It was going to be a long night and a cold shower was probably in order.

* * *

Maggie scurried back to her cell. She didn't make it back to her bed. She ducked around the corner and her back hit the wall, her legs and hands shaking from everything that just happened. How quickly it had gotten out of control.

She slid slowly down to a seat and pulled her legs against her chest, hugging her knees.

Her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth showed from the grimace twisting on her features before her head bowed down and out of sight.


	24. Stand By Me

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Just to note, I will follow some of the events from the show as they unfold – but at the moment I do not plan on incorporating the flu infection. It's an interesting plot twist, but I just don't personally find it inspiring.

The official Gleggie breakup is imminent. I just have to hash out how I want it to go down.

aSprightlySoar: It definitely is a shackle! But it's an engagement ring, so it's hard to get rid of.

Beckett: That's a great point, haha, I think you'll like Papa Hershel in this chapter.

Lmnop: Awww, thank you! I'm a chronic lurker myself so it's great to bring a fellow one out of hiding. I'm glad I'm doing your country justice – I haven't been there, so I'm glad to not be insulting anyone! Haha.

Music: Ben E King – Stand By Me

* * *

Stand By Me

* * *

Needless to say, Maggie didn't sleep very well that night. She didn't even bother looking in the mirror the next morning when she was splashing water on her face to see how bad the bags were under her eyes.

She grabbed a quick bite from the cafeteria, literally chewing and swallowing it on her way out. She needed to get out and get some fresh air. She had to figure out what she was going to say to Glenn.

Right now, she just couldn't imagine any scenario that ended well.

"Margaret!" Gabriel's voice stopped her in the recess area.

A lot of the other survivors were already gathering in the morning hours there. Some were discussing what sort of field work needed to be done with Rick.

Carol teasing Daryl in a quiet and low tone. The hunter was just left shaking his head and telling her to stop.

Beth was sitting at one of the tables with baby Judith in her arms. She glanced up and gave her sister an odd look while the brunette turned around to face Gabriel. Since when did she respond to that name?

Gabriel almost trotted to catch up with Maggie, shrugging on his jacket rather awkwardly with the sling.

"Hey," He said a little gentler, once he caught up with her, lowering his voice.

"About last night…" He began unsteadily, knowing the others could hear them if they wanted to, but he couldn't just leave it the way they did. "I'm sorry, that was rude…" He wasn't exactly thinking and throwing her out like that wasn't right.

Maggie surprised him by reaching forward and grabbing his hands between them. "It's okay," She gave him a small smile.

Gabriel stopped, only of the certain the small hands that were grasping his. "Are you sure?"

Admittedly, he had feared last night would put them several steps backwards. He had thought she would start avoiding him again like the plague… Okay, maybe that wasn't the best comparison.

Maggie nodded seriously and gave his hands a small squeeze. She felt his adjusted fit more comfortable and his thumbs run over her knuckles.

"I'm going to talk to Glenn," She said meaningfully.

Gabriel cocked his head at that. It gave him a flutter of hope in his chest, was she saying what he felt she was implying? He knew he shouldn't be hopeful about that because it was an awful thing to wish on anyone – but he was.

"Talk to me about what?" Glenn's voice interrupted them.

Maggie hadn't really paid attention to how some of the chatter in the room died down and there were several eyes on them. It became even worse when Maggie looked over her shoulder and turned towards Glenn.

He didn't like the way they were standing so close to each other when Glenn walked into the recess room.

He really didn't like it when he looked down and then saw their hands together.

"Glenn, I…" Maggie panicked, she wasn't exactly ready for this.

"Hey man, what the hell?" Glenn shot out quickly, not looking at Maggie but Gabriel. Glenn stepped up between the two, causing Maggie to step back away.

"I thought I told you to stay away from her," Glenn pushed a hand back against Gabriel's chest.

"Glenn, don't!" Maggie said from behind him.

Daryl was already crossing the room with Rick, seeing the two males squaring their shoulders and posturing – regardless of the fact one was in a sling.

"Really? You want to go through this again?" Gabriel glared back down at Glenn, not going to be deterred just because he was injured. He would take him again with one arm if he had to.

Daryl exchanged a look from Rick, they kept a step back. They were trying to decide whether it was better to let the two blow off the steam or intervene.

"I'll go through it however many times it takes for you to stay away from her," Glenn replied hotly.

Gabriel took a side step, almost circling Glenn and not letting him get to close.

"Hey, that's enough!" Rick called from behind Glenn's shoulder.

"Or you'll what?" Gabriel's voice rose. He was so frustrated with Glenn, especially after what he did to him at the supply run. "You'll throw me to the walkers again?" He couldn't imagine him doing anything much worse than that.

Glenn choked on his own tongue momentarily.

"Again? What do you mean _again_?" Maggie spoke up, startling and looking between the two.

This caused Daryl to step up right between Glenn and Gabriel, his expression hardening formidably. "What the hell is he talking about, Glenn?" He growled out, looking to Gabriel.

Even Rick was stunned into silence briefly.

Gabriel didn't look at Maggie or any of the others. He glared coldly at Glenn while he shouted, "He was right there! I saw you and you left me there. You ran like a fucking coward!"

"That's bullshit!" Glenn shouted back, he went to go after him but he was stopped by Rick's arms spread out between the two.

"You left him behind?!" Daryl joined in, looking to Glenn. That was fucked up – not after what happened with Merle and Andrea.

"You had a gun!" Gabriel snarled, unable to get around Rick's arm with his bad one.

"I was out of bullets. There was nothing I could do!" Glenn defended himself. "You were surrounded!"

All of the sudden, it wasn't just about the brunette standing away from them with her hands over her mouth.

Gabriel leaned away from Rick's restraint, taking dejected steps back with his shoulders shaking. "That's bullshit and you know it!" He shouted at Glenn, but then looked to the other people. They were all watching him – like an animal or a circus act.

A human curiosity with no sympathy.

"Do you have any idea what I went through for you people!" Gabriel yelled at them, not really seeing the faces. "The things I had to do to get out of there!"

"And no one came back – not one of you!" He screamed the part that hurt the most. He would never have done that. They were people for Christ's sake, they deserved better. "I could have taken those supplies and left, but I came back!"

"You left me there and I went through hell. _Hell_!" Gabriel ran out of air from shouting.

They just stared back at him, too. Speechless and ignorant to the mental struggle it had put him under. The struggle to survive and the pain to bring those supplies back.

Gabriel had to get away from them. He let out a scoff and started to march off.

"Gabriel," Maggie's voice the silence, small and pathetic. She tried to reach out and grasp his arm, but he just shrugged her away and kept going.

* * *

"What the fuck, Glenn?" Daryl snapped out of it when Gabriel was gone, getting up in the Korean's face. "You left him there?"

They weren't animals, they don't leave people behind like that.

"No! I didn't. I was out of bullets and the roof collapsed, I couldn't do anything," Glenn defended himself, seeing the accusing glares and suspicions from Rick and Daryl amongst the other survivors.

"Funny, I didn't see you reloading your gun in the truck," Michonne's voice spoke up from the back of the room. No one with an empty clip leaves it that way if they can.

"Where is your head at, Glenn?" Rick spoke up this time. This didn't sound anything like the young man they met and knew back in Atlanta.

"My head?" His voice rose to a borderline hysterical state. "Don't you see what's happening?!"

"Look at all of us!" He gestured around to them, mainly the Atlanta survivors. They had always been a united front before.

"Everything was fine before he came here. _We _were fine!" Glenn pointed towards his own temple for emphasis, "Can't you see he's gotten inside your heads?!"

"This isn't us!" Glenn shook his head. They weren't dogs that turned on each other.

From her distance, Maggie gave an appalled expression before slipping from the room.

* * *

"I had no idea," Zach pleaded his case with Gabriel. Honestly, it wasn't like the Aussie was looking for any explanations from him anyway. The blond had just followed him out the cell block and into the exercise field. Some of the other survivors filed out of there too, wanting to get away from the heat of the moment.

Gabriel marched straight through the field, to the farthest fence and stopped there. One hand grasped at the chain link of the inner fence while he stared at the couple walkers trying to claw their way into the outer fence.

"I swear, if I knew, I would have gone back for you," Zach shook his head. He, like the others, just took Glenn's word for it. He saw what it was like in the store. It made him sick thinking someone had been left behind in that.

Gabriel just gave a short nod with an impassive mask on his face. He didn't look towards Zach.

The youth sighed and looked away when he heard crunching steps coming down the gravel path. He backed off from Gabriel, seeing who it was and gave Maggie a respectful nod on the way back.

Gabriel wasn't sure who wanted to get in or out the prison more, him or the walkers.

A pair of arms wrapping around his torso made it even harder. Even though he didn't move or turn around, Maggie held him tightly and leaned her cheek against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry…" She spoke to him, horrified at the image of Gabriel being overwhelmed by walkers – left behind on purpose. She wasn't sure if she really believed that Glenn had it in him, but seeing the way he shouted and carried on made Maggie wonder. He wasn't the demure and shy boy she had originally fallen for anymore.

"I want to tell him…" She spoke. She would if Gabriel wouldn't, because like he said, they had to keep talking. It was silence that killed.

"But, I'm scared," She admitted. She was even more scared of what he would react or do after what she just saw.

"To tell him what?" Gabriel wondered, finding his voice again. He was calmer, but not exactly welcoming. He just had to know what Maggie was talking about. Of course he wouldn't let anything happen to her if he could help it. He came back for her.

But don't tell Rocky that.

Maggie's arms tightened around Gabriel a little bit, nervous to admit the truth. "I don't want to be his anymore," She said.

She got a physical reaction out of him at that point. Gabriel let go of the fence and slowly turned around, letting her adjust her arms accordingly.

His mouth fell open.

Maggie kept her hands on his waist, biting her lip at his reaction. He was speechless, so instead he just reached up with his hand to her face. His fingers brushed against her hair while he moved his palm to cup her cheek.

He knew that she saying she didn't want to be Glenn's anymore and not necessarily become his instead, but Gabriel couldn't deny that small hope.

The way she leaned into his hand made it harder.

* * *

More people were trickling out of the cell block by now. One of them had a lopsided stride and moved towards Maggie like a man on a mission.

Over her shoulder, Gabriel saw him coming and dropped his hand from her. Seeing the way he stiffened, Maggie leaned back and turned to follow his gaze.

"Maggie," Hershel called out once he got close enough. She could tell already that she was in trouble. He had _that _paternal tone in his voice and look in his eye. It was the one that everyone sensed, even if it wasn't your parent.

It caused Gabriel to step back from Maggie, knowing that it wasn't his place.

He started to walk away, giving Maggie a concerned look.

"Son, stay – you should hear this too," Hershel pointed a finger in his direction, making sure that Gabriel stayed put without taking his eyes off Maggie.

"Daddy?" Maggie's voice came out small, wondering what was putting a blaze in his step.

"Maggie, I love you," He began and she knew he was prepping her for his brutal honesty. "And most days I can say that I'm proud of you, but not today."

Gabriel's eyebrows rose, but he knew better to keep his mouth shut. He just awkwardly stood there while the older man scolded his daughter.

"What you're doing has got to stop," Hershel told her, and he threw a hand back towards the cell block, "That cannot happen again."

"I'm not going to tell you what decisions to make," He threw a glance towards Gabriel, warningly, and Maggie knew he was really saying who she picked.

"But when you make that commitment to someone," He pointed down to the ring on her finger. "You've got to stand by it – _for better_ or _for worse_. You have got to stand by them."

He shook his head with shame, thinking of the two young men fighting over his daughter like animals. That wasn't the way he raised her to be. "And I didn't see you standing by anyone today." Regardless of who he preferred or who she preferred, she just stood there like a spectator.

And that was not okay she let this happen.


	25. Alarm Clock

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Beckett: I had Daryl looking to Glenn more for an explanation before he started accusing him – simply because they have a longer history/friendship. And Hershel defended Glenn for similar reasons, but more so the fact Maggie wasn't being supportive of either man – you have to lie in the bed you make. It's tricky to write the groups' interactions through this because Glenn is a member and they wouldn't ostracize him overnight.

Music: Cary Brothers – Belong

* * *

Alarm Clock

* * *

Gabriel had to admire Maggie's strength. She wasn't strong in the 'Look at me and how much I can bench press' sort of way. She didn't have to flaunt it in your face or constantly prove it at every insecure moment. Her strength showed in the way she still kept her chin in the air after being scolded by her father and having everyone look at her.

It wasn't to say that she didn't cry, of course, she did. But she still kept her chin up in defiance and kept going. Even after that morning, she was going to go through with it.

He wanted to be there for her and offered to help her.

"No," She said to him, shaking her head. "This is something I have to do… And you being there might make it worse," She added on honestly, concerned for Gabriel's safety at that point.

He wasn't going to argue with her wishes at that point. He wasn't going to emotionally abuse her into thinking her opinion mattered less or her decision should be overridden by someone else.

It left Gabriel in his cell, cleaning out his rifle and the .9mm he had been using lately. In his defense, the rifle was long overdue for a cleaning anyways. But he was doing as a message to everyone else.

Leave him alone.

It also gave him a reason to hang around inside the cellblock. He worked slowly and methodically while listening to the cellblock and the voices. It was just after dinner at that point.

He knew that she was up there talking to Glenn. Part of him was glad that she didn't decide to talk to Glenn in her cell. It would probably drive him even crazier if he could hear what they were saying.

This way he only heard bits and pieces. It was a long discussion. They would get quiet for a while and then he would hear the voices rising, sometimes hers, sometimes Glenn's or even both.

At those times, he itched to get up and do something. He hated hearing how upset she was. It was like he was almost waiting for Glenn to take one step out of line.

But he couldn't. Gabriel knew if he so much as laid one finger on anyone right now, Rick would have him sent out the prison without even a chance to pack his bags.

His outburst with Glenn didn't go unnoticed earlier. Unfortunately, it put him in a tricky situation. Yes, the truth was revealed for everyone, but the truth didn't recognize a fundamental difference between Glenn and Gabriel.

Glenn has been a part of the group since day one. He was with the Atlanta survivors, the ones of the Council and the ones that started the prison. Gabriel was only a newcomer with a short visitation under his belt.

At any point they could decide that Gabriel was too much trouble and get rid of him. He wouldn't blame them, really. It's the same type of thing his group would have done too. Yeah, new guy comes in causing trouble… You can only stick your neck out so far before the executioner drops his axe and he collects his severance pay.

So it was time for Gabriel to play turtle and lie low.

* * *

He heard her when she came back to her cell. For a few minutes, Gabriel let the book in his hands lie flat against his chest and he waited. He couldn't deny the part of him that wished she would come see him after her talk with Glenn.

Of course, he knew that she would likely rather be left alone. So it didn't surprise him when he heard her going into her cell. What made him worry though was the sniffling that he could hear coming from her.

Maybe it was just his hyperawareness to the situation, but it seemed like her sniffling and crying echoed off the walls.

He stared blankly up at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do. Should he go comfort her? Would that really be the appropriate thing for him to do? It was likely hard enough on her to make such a serious decision, she didn't need to feel like he was trying to force himself on her or rush her into anything. Hell, he knew she made the decision for herself, but he also hoped it was because of him.

Gabriel finally snapped out of his thoughts and made up his mind. He earmarked the book before setting it down on the small shelf/nightstand next to his bed.

He climbed off the bed and stood up. Straightening his shirt out, Gabriel marched out the cell and passed the buffer one between him and Maggie's. He came around the bars of her cell and stopped.

Maggie was sitting upright on her cot with her legs folded underneath her. She had a tissue over her face, he couldn't tell if she was wiping her nose or tears from her eyes. The reason he couldn't tell was the blonde with her arms wrapped reassuringly around his sister.

Damnnit, he didn't hear Beth with her and the quiet whispers they exchanged. He wasn't counting on that. The young woman looked up, hearing Gabriel. She shot him a dirty look immediately.

… Right, her and most of the prison thinks this is his fault.

Gabriel averted his eyes and started moving again, walking past her cell to find anything else to do.

Maggie looked up to see the backside of Gabriel and him rubbing at the back of his neck as he disappeared.

* * *

Gabriel found Carl on guard and relieved him for a while. Well, really the kid hung around and shot the breeze for a while.

Of course, Carl wasn't any kid though. He was still young, but he was sharp and had an edge to him.

"Did Glenn really leave you behind?" He asked him bluntly, after having just been telling him the names of each of the pigs. Gabriel hadn't even realized they had names, he just saw bacon when he looked at them.

"Yeah," Gabriel muttered. Maybe before the argument in the recess room, he could have given some benefit of the doubt to Glenn, but not now.

Carl frowned, trying to picture Walkerbait being like that. "He wasn't always like that," Carl said, remembering how terrible he was at lying and keeping secrets.

"You know what they say about desperation and what it does to people," Gabriel just said diplomatically instead. He couldn't really judge just what sort of person Glenn was. He could only wait and find out, which made him anxious.

* * *

Gabriel stifled a yawn behind his hand by the time he retired to his cell. After staying outside for a while on the guard tower, he ran into Zach who managed to con him into a card game with a few other boys. They were from Decatur he vaguely recalled – wherever the hell that was or what it was.

At least they weren't judging him too harshly for his actions. A few of them tried to slip a comment about Maggie – fishing for details about what he thought or what was going on with her. Gabriel didn't indulge them in that.

Afterwards, he shuffled back from cell block D to the C block – stopping on the way to wash up his face. He wandered into his cell and changed into his pajama pants, leaving the shirt off given the heat of the night.

Gabriel crawled under the covers. When the air was still, he listened. He didn't hear anything, he wondered how Maggie was doing – maybe he would try talking to her tomorrow.

* * *

Maggie felt like she ran out of tears for that night, but yet, she couldn't fall asleep. She fumbled with the ring on her finger, it really had no sentimental value to her. But the idea of taking it off was scary, if she did that, then everything would be real. She laid there for a long while, just listening to the last people going in and out of the cell block before settling down for the night.

She could have sworn she heard Gabriel amongst them. Glenn had slammed the bars shut on their last cell a while ago.

Finally, she gave up. She sat up on her cot and her feet chilled slightly from the concrete floor. She stood up and padded her way carefully towards Gabriel's cell, first making sure no one was looking.

She stopped outside his cell, leaning against the bars. He was lying on his back and seemed to be out of it. Carefully, she stepped inside and eased herself down on the bed edge.

Gabriel stirred from a hand on his chest and a figure looming over him.

"Hey," Maggie whispered down to him. He moved his arm from off his eyes and blinked up at her wearily.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, starting to second guess waking him up. "I just, I don't know…"

"No, no," Gabriel groaned slightly, snapping to alertness. "It's okay, c'mere," He mumbled and lifted up the covers. He wasn't a fool, he knew what she was doing here.

Maggie bit her lip and scooted under the covers offered to her. The cot creaked and groaned from the additional weight as she got comfortable. Immediately, she went to his side, wanting to curl up against him like they did watching a movie.

At first, she pulled her hand back when she touched his chest, a little embarrassed.

"Sorry," He muttered behind half closed eyes, "Wasn't expecting ya."

"It's fine," Maggie murmured in response, choosing just to get over it and tucking her cheek against his shoulder. Feeling her hand on his chest, Gabriel pulled her arm across him, rubbing his thumb against her skin. His other arm wrapped around her.

Even though she had been upset, it wasn't long before they both ended up nodding off.

* * *

Gabriel stirred out of his slumber with a sharp inhale. Admittedly, he was a little reluctant to get up. He was exhausted and felt entirely too comfortable in bed. It had to be too early to get up.

Wearily, he opened his eyes and blinked repeatedly up at the ceiling. He figured out quickly why he wasn't in a rush to get up, not that he could if he wanted to. It was because of the brunette half sprawled out on top of him.

Gabriel squinted, looking over to the bed sheet, which he could tell some of the morning light was starting to come in. She was still here?

He rubbed at his eyes with his free hand and dropped his arm back down. It was then his arm brushed against her hand and felt the scratching against his skin. He glanced down at her hand and then saw the rock glistening back at him.

Gabriel had to heavily suppress the urge to let out a loud audible groan.

She still had that forsaken engagement ring on. He figured he had his answer for how yesterday went then. His head sank back down against the pillow. God, he really wanted to enjoy the fact she was asleep against his chest and her legs tangled with his, but it was hard to now.

Gabriel turned his head and glanced towards the alarm clock.

_5:38am_

It was too early for anyone to be up, but not for long. He grabbed Maggie lightly by the shoulder and gave her a small shake.

"Hey," He whispered down to her, the sour feeling in his gut didn't make him feel as guilty about waking her up.

"Margaret," He whispered her name, giving her a stronger shake until she started to stir.

She let out slight whine of a protest and groaned before she started to pick her head up, rubbing at her eyes. She made a noise that vaguely resembled, "What?"

"You should go," Gabriel said to her reluctantly.

The dazed and confused expression on Maggie's face made it harder.

"Before everyone wakes up," Gabriel reminded her.

"Oh…" Maggie mumbled, the rational side of her mind starting to wake up. She pushed herself up on her elbow, on her side and for a moment just looked towards the privacy sheet hanging over the cell.

She just stared at it and Gabriel couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Yeah, you're right," She finally whispered in a heavy tone.

He held his tongue and let her climb out of the bed. With a sigh, he dropped his head back against the pillow while Maggie slowly moved to leave his cell.

She cradled her left hand against her chest, feeling the intrusive cold metal against her skin. For a moment, she lingered by the entrance of the cell and glanced back at Gabriel. It looked like there was something she wanted to say, but he wasn't looking at her.

Maggie left his cell without another word. Gabriel ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

There was no point trying to get back to sleep after that.


	26. Feminine Problem

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I will warn you now, there is a mean cliffhanger at the end of this chapter – but that's because I want to do it justice by picking up where the scene leaves off next chapter.

aSprightlySoar and M: Oh, I know, the ring will come off very soon, I promise! This chapter might explain her reluctance to take it off. And I definitely feel like a dog with their tail between their legs when my parents are upset with me too.

The Mabriel is close! (coughnextchaptercough).

Music: Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time

* * *

Feminine Problem

* * *

The days after Maggie snuck out of Gabriel's cell ticked by painfully slow for him. He tried not to spend too much time in the cell block. He spent most of his time out with the other men, Carl and Zach primarily. Zach was young and a little immature, but sometimes it was a welcomed break just to goof around a bit. He threw out pit-bull rescuer as his latest theory for what Daryl did before the outbreak when he saw the redneck slipping Rocky food one meal.

Gabriel didn't go back to his cell block until pretty late at night, when there was little chance of other people being up. He disappeared for hours at time too, which Carl was the one that picked up on that the most.

He had a reason for behaving this way. It was just better if he didn't hang around as much to hear the numerous conversations and quiet arguments that Maggie was having with Glenn or hear her crying. It wasn't that he was avoiding her. He just wasn't around to give her the chance to slip into his bed again, like the sucker he was for her. He just wasn't around to be tempted to knock Glenn around a good one. He just got the sling off his arm and the vermin wasn't worth it.

Okay, so maybe he was avoiding her a little bit. He wasn't ignoring her completely though. He still indulged in the simple and polite conversations during the chores and activities around the prison. He nodded at her in acknowledgment in the lunch room when she would sit down with Beth and Carol with Glenn unusually absent.

He was just keeping a low profile.

* * *

Gabriel brushed some of the dirt off of his hands. He attempted to earn himself back in their good graces by helping Rick with the weeding of the cucumber plants. The children had rushed ahead about fifteen minutes ago.

He stopped to wash his hands off in one of the water barrels outside before heading into the cellblock. For a moment, he thought about changing, but after washing up, he really only had some dirt stains on the knees of his jeans.

He was walking through the cell block when he heard the voices from the second level.

"Come on, Maggie, you can't be serious about this," Glenn was pleading with the brunette as they stood outside his cell by the railing. She didn't want to step inside the cell and send the wrong idea.

"You're not thinking straight, just sleep on it and we can talk about it later, okay?" Glenn tried to reason with her.

Maggie wasn't going to follow his order this time. She had her arms folded over her chest and a displeased frown on her face. She shook her head once, "No, Glenn. I'm done." She stated simply.

"_Done_." She stressed.

"What?" Glenn blinked and stepped forward to her, lowering his voice into a fierce whisper. "How can you say that? After everything we've been through?" He struggled to keep up with how quickly everything was unraveling.

Maggie sighed, she didn't enjoy doing this or seeing that look on Glenn's face. Her gaze faltered and she caught the figure out of the corner of her eye.

Glenn noticed her hesitation, but also her distraction. He looked down past the railing and saw Gabriel standing on the lower level, staring up at them with an impassive mask.

"Can I help you?" Glenn snapped out in a harsh and unwelcoming tone.

Gabriel glared back at Glenn. He just shrugged his shoulders with his hands in his pockets. "Carol is looking for you," He addressed Maggie instead, ignoring the Korean man.

Maggie leaned her hip off the railing, dropping her arms with curiosity.

"She said…" Gabriel's expression twisted uncertainly, as if he was repeating the words exactly as he had been told them, "it was a '_feminine problem'_?"

Glenn made a face that was somewhere between aggravated at the interruption but a little horrified, not wanting to know what exactly that could mean.

"Oh, right… I'm coming," Maggie said immediately. Whatever spat she was having with Glenn would have to wait. It was basic girl code after all when something like that came up.

Gabriel waited by the bottom of the stairs for Maggie. He could feel Glenn glaring at his backside as they walked through the cellblock and into the other hallway. He kept a respectable distance during that time.

* * *

"How's your shoulder?" Maggie asked Gabriel as they moved through the dimly concrete halls. She asked him fairly quickly, just to avoid him asking if she was okay. She really didn't want to talk about what he just saw.

"It's good, doc says I don't need the sling anymore," Gabriel grinned, glad to be free to move again. "I probably won't be able to shoot for the cleanup tomorrow though." He added on, feeling a little bad about not being able to help out in that regard.

It would take a little more time before he felt confident about his shoulder and shooting the high powered firearm.

Maggie nodded thoughtfully and then frowned when she realized where they were going.

"Wait…" She said, she assumed they would be heading towards the showers or the bathrooms. "Carol is having a feminine problem in the library?"

A casual smirk rose on Gabriel's face. "Nah," He said, "I made that part up."

They came around the corner and the double doors of the library came into sight. There were slotted windows that you could see the bookshelves within.

Maggie looked at Gabriel oddly. What the hell?

"You looked like you needed an escape route," He explained to her, pausing at the door and not moving to go inside just yet.

Maggie cocked her head, slightly miffed that he lied to her. But he made it hard to be mad, especially since she had to give him credit for the clever excuse that no other guy would ever question.

"Carol is in there though," Gabriel said truthfully. It wasn't a complete lie. "Story time with the children. I was heading down here, just to listen and take my mind off things…"

He paused a little uncertainly before offering, "Want to join?"

Maggie almost refused out of habit, but stopped. He had just bought her an immeasurable amount of free time before Glenn would come looking for her.

An incredulous grin crept on her face. "Sure…" She said. Gabriel returned the grin and leant against the door handlebars before they quietly slipped into the room.

* * *

Carol was sitting on the trunk she used as a stool in the center of the reading area when Gabriel and Maggie slipped in. Many of the children were gathered around her, sitting on an assortment of blankets and pillows.

She was reading aloud and Gabriel had to credit her for her diction and enthusiasm. Her eyes lifted up from the page towards them without pausing.

Gabriel just gave her a polite nod and Maggie gave her a small grin. There was a short shelf of books between the children and a wooden table that Gabriel slipped over to, not wanting to distract the children and interrupt.

Gabriel pulled one chair and sat down while Maggie sat across from him. Without a word between them, he relaxed back and tried to guess what story it was that Carol was reading to them.

* * *

Maggie was able to figure out Carol was reading _Treasure Island_. But she had a hard time trying to focus on it. It was nice to listen for a while, but eventually she found herself looking down at the ring on her finger.

Gabriel glanced over, noticing her fumbling with it and just figured it was an anxious habit.

But it wasn't.

Maggie frowned down at the jewelry. It didn't really mean anything to her now, but it was so hard to consider taking it off. Regardless of who gave it to her, it still symbolized a significant chapter of her life. When she got it, she pictured building a life and marrying that person. As long as she wore it, there was still a chance it could still happen, no matter how small. To take it off was not only turning her back on Glenn, but giving up that chapter of her life. Giving that hope and dream, which she may never have again. It was a scary prospect.

Gabriel watched Maggie rolling the ring on her finger for a long time. He realized this wasn't just a nervous tick.

She pulled on her finger and she noticed how it tugged on her knuckle because it never quite fit when she put it on.

That was what happened when you cut a random piece of jewelry off a walker and called it an engagement ring.

Maggie sighed softly and looked up. She saw Gabriel looking at her with a stern thoughtful gaze. She bit her lip and turned her attention back to Carol.

* * *

Carol closed the book and gave directions out to the children, some of them would help her with meal prep. Gabriel gave a small grin at the groans and reminders of getting back to work. He remained sitting a while they slowly shuffled to their feet. Maggie was silent and apparently in no rush to leave either.

Carol shooed several of them out of the library and Gabriel slowly got up to follow the pack out of the library.

Before he could make it to the door, he felt a hand grab his arm. His eyes widened and he looked back to a determined Maggie tugging him towards the couple of bookshelf aisles. She had a finger over her mouth, which was the only reason he didn't say anything.

She pulled him into the darkness that the shadows created, grabbing him by both forearms. For a moment, she waited and her eyes watched towards the door until she heard the last click of them shutting. The voices from the children started to fade down the hall.

Maggie looked back to Gabriel.

"Margaret?" Gabriel tried to understand the look in her eyes.

"Thank you," She said to him. "For this, I really needed this…" She referred to the escape away from reality, just for a little bit.

Gabriel just swallowed thickly and nodded, not because of that but because of the limited amount of space between them. He doubted that was all she stopped him for either. She could have just said that in the hallway.

Her hands spoke for her by rising up to his face. Gently, her fingers cupped his cheeks and framed his face. She grinned a little. The scruff was still there and almost back to its thick, unruly state it had been originally, but without the mustache. She felt his fingers on her waist, at the belt loops of her jeans while she leaned closer, rising up on her toes.

She heard his deep inhale when she titled her head to the side before placing her lips over his. His lips were soft and moist, but unmoving beneath hers – even after several painstaking moments that she tried to coax them.

Maggie leaned back and opened her eyes.

Gabriel was rigidly still, his shoulders stiff. He had his eyes squeezed shut, almost as if it was physically paining him to not do anything – to restrain himself. His fingertips dug a little deeper against her hips.

"Margaret…" His voice came out low and strained, almost like a growl.

She just whispered back to him without pulling her hands away from his face, "You said you weren't warning me again…"


	27. Rated M for Mabriel

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

**Rated M for Mabriel – Mature**

That being said, if you don't like lemons (please don't throw them at me) scroll to the last section break you see and read from there. Everything before that is glorious Mabriel, but safe to skip plot-wise.

Walker Beckett: It's Walker now? Did I kill you earlier?! PS. That was probably one of the most bizarrely exciting threats I've ever gotten.

Gannicus: Hey there! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this fic. I'm glad this is what you're looking for. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the rest to come. I look forward to hearing from you again if you get the chance!

aSprightlySoar: Yes, in TWD Glenn just cuts a ring off a random walker. It was really gross, which is why I changed it up in IR. I think this chapter answers what happens to the ring.

M: Do I even need to say anything at this point? You know what's up with this chapter.

Music: Ed Sheeran – Kiss Me

* * *

Rated M for Mabriel

* * *

She just whispered back to him without pulling her hands away from his face, "I thought you said you weren't warning me again…"

Gabriel's eyes snapped open and for a painstaking moment, he just stared at her. Her eyes were determined and confident at exactly what she was saying. But he felt that ring against his cheek.

Gabriel grabbed her hands by the wrists and pulled them away from his face. He slid from between her and the bookcase for the door faster than Maggie could keep up with.

Her hands fell awkwardly back to her side as she was left staring at blank space.

Had she completely misunderstood him before?

There was a clicking sound coming from the library doors and a scratching noise. It caused Maggie to step out from the bookshelves.

She saw the backside of Gabriel shoving a chair up against the door – jamming it up under the door handles for good measure with the engaged locks.

He wasn't leaving.

The prospect of being locked alone in a room with him sent her heart fluttering, almost as much as the look he gave her when he turned around.

Gabriel crossed the distance between them in two quick strides, leading with one hand that caught the back of Maggie's head as it tilted up towards him. He pulled his lips down over hers and felt two hands weaving their fingers into his hair.

It was Maggie's turn to be stunned by his lips, how eager and confident they were against hers. It didn't take much for her to part her mouth and get a chance to taste him. Her back arched, pushing her chest up into his when his other hand pulled her against him.

At first, Gabriel reveled in the want and feel of her against him. But soon, he wanted more. Maggie felt him push back against her and she stumbled slowly, blindly into the room. She didn't pay attention to where he was prompting her, more consumed by his tongue rubbing against hers.

Maggie nearly stumbled again when she butted up against the short book shelf between the reading and table area. She broke her lips and had to throw a hand back to catch herself. It wasn't where Gabriel was heading, but he adjusted for it. Maggie gasped when his hands picked up her thighs and set her on top of the shelf.

She opened her eyes to feel him pulling on her hips to the edge of the surface, straddling him. Her hands went to his waist, briefly feeling his belt before going to the hem of her shirt. Panting slightly from needing to catch her breath, she exchanged a dark look with him before pulling it up. His hands quickly followed her lead and tossed the shirt over his head, carelessly aside.

For a moment, Maggie stopped and just stared at the bare chest – being able to appreciate it truly, unlike the other night. A smirk worked its way up on Gabriel's face while her hands reached out to him, feeling the muscles. He leant in to capture her lips again while his hands explored her thighs, to push up under her tank top.

He moved off her mouth, kissing the corner before moving along her jawline. "Take it off," He nearly growled into her ear, feeling her ankles hooked behind him trying to pull him closer. He had to brace one hand against the bookshelf as he leant over her.

Maggie paused with her hands on his shoulder blades, shivering from the assault of sensations on her body. Wait, did he mean her shirt or her pants?

"You're not marrying him," He stated, when she hesitated too long for his liking. They both knew it, even if she wouldn't admit to anyone else.

Maggie's eyes snapped open, over his shoulder she lifted her hand and stared at the rock in question.

But to taking it off wasn't a simple matter, she should be sure…

Maggie gasped at his teeth nipping the sensitive spot of her neck and feeling his fingertips brush along her spine. She arched her back and blindly fumbled.

She didn't even pay attention to the clattering noise the ring made when it fell to the floor. Gabriel was already pulling the tank top over her head. She was busy watching him yank the jeans off her hips. She lifted herself briefly before the denim rolling down her thighs, calves and off her ankles.

There was a moment Maggie smiled at Gabriel struggling with her boots. She hid a giggle behind her thumbnail. Gabriel just went with it, snickering and pitching his boots as well while he was at it before pulling her back to him.

Maggie shivered from the slack jawed awe-filled gaze in his eyes and the hands that ran over her stomach, up to her breasts.

His belt was next and Maggie struggled to keep her hands from shaking. Her body quivered from the bare air on her skin and the way he was touching her. She could practically feel his smirk against her neck at how long it was taking her.

It didn't matter, once it was gone, his jeans fell to the floor with a thud shortly after.

Maggie didn't have time for second thoughts. She had one arm hooked around his shoulders while her other reached behind her to hold herself up. His hands were at her thighs, under them and adjusting her hips. Neither touch mattered nearly as much as feeling him rub against her moist center and her muscles stretch around him as he slid into her.

"Gabriel," Maggie cooed out, feeling him move inside her.

He channeled every ounce of tension and frustration from the previous weeks into that movement. He was spurred on by each noise and sound she made, even the ones of their skin smacking together. Maggie heard nothing but his grunting next to her ear, but felt overwhelmed by his everything – the hands digging into her hips to keep her in place, the chills and tingles running rampant through her body, and the squeeze of the knot in her core.

Gabriel sloppily kissed along her shoulder as she came undone in his arms. He felt her body shudder and continued at her urging to not stop.

A few minutes later, Maggie's back hit the blankets and pillows on the floor from the story circle. She didn't even bother to consider that part. She was more concerned about the man over her, adjusting to a better position between her legs.

Through her first high, Maggie's mind was clearer to enjoy the little essences that made him unique to her – the certain way his back arched and thrust into her, his elbows bracing against the floor, the coarseness of his body hair against her fingertips and soft flesh, the feel of his sweat and the heat between them, the noises that escaped from his lips during it all before he came inside her.

* * *

[Lemon Free From Here]

* * *

He didn't go far once it was done. He didn't hurry to gather his clothes and mumble an excuse to get out of there without making eye contact. Of course, he rolled over onto his back just to catch his breath and cool off. He wasn't like he had the strength and endurance of an immortal after all.

But he did surprise her by remaining close, pulling one of the blankets around them loosely. It was how Maggie found herself staring up at him, Gabriel leaning on one elbow beside her. His thumb traced over the apple of her cheek, down to her lips.

He wanted to memorize this moment – this escape from everything going on around them.

Gabriel leaned down to kiss her, reminding himself of the way they felt and how they tasted – like one of the many they traded.

Maggie bit her lip, tracing her hands lightly along his arms and shoulders. Every time he saw that lip disappear, he smirked and ran his thumb just above her chin, drawing it back out again before kissing her.

Maggie wanted to know what he was thinking, but at the same time didn't care. She felt content - physically, sexually and more.

She didn't have to wonder for long, amber eyes moved up to hers and a glint of determination filled them. He just wanted to put it out there, and so he did.

"I'm falling in love with you," He whispered.

He felt her breath hitch behind his thumb. He wouldn't have been surprised her heart stopped too. Maggie's eyes grew wider.

His fingers moved over her lips to silence whatever she was about to say. "I know," He cut her off. He gave a small smile, a small one because his eyes were heavy with the growing reality. "Too soon," Gabriel murmured.

Too soon for her to say it back, of course. Truthfully, it was too soon for anything.

"I just wanted you to know," He explained to her. Gabriel pulled his fingers away from her lips then.

Maggie's mouth twisted in a way that was somewhere between a tight lipped grin and a grimace. Her eyes broke with awe and sympathy. She didn't know what to tell him, so she chose to reply to him with actions instead. Her hands framed his head, grabbing just under his ears and pulled him down for a long, tender kiss.

A little part of her broke. Why did he have to tell her this now? As if she didn't have enough to go through at the moment, this added pressure wasn't going to make things easier.

Although, life rarely ever did.

The jostling of the door handles at the library entrance attested to that fact. Gabriel broke away from the kiss to look over his shoulder. He didn't exactly move away from her because they both stopped to listen to the voices outside the door.

"It's locked?" A young female voice complained.

"That's weird… Do you think someone is in there?" An even younger one replied, apparently not even considering the fact they could be hear.

"I dunno…" The older one said. The door handles gave another jostle, still locked and unmoving because of the wooden back of the chair propped against it.

"C'mon Lizzie, I'm bored," The second one whined.

"Carol probably locked it," The first finally decided. "Let's go find Carl, maybe he can get in…"

Several moments went by while Gabriel remained frozen, giving time for the girls to wander away from the door. He relaxed when they were greeted by nothing, but silence. A relieved sigh passed through him and he looked back to a wide-eyed Maggie. She had the blanket pulled up a little bit around her chest, but her eyes flickered with amusement and thrilling mortification at almost getting caught.

"We should probably go before they come back to break down the door," Gabriel suggested cheekily.


	28. Seat's Taken

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Lmnop: Thank you! It was actually hard to figure out where that scene would go down because of that – I was glad the first episode provided me an option.

Walker Beckett: Thank you so much! Haha, I think if that happened, Gabriel would play a game of how quickly can he throw clothes at Maggie!

M: I like the way you describe them as drowning in each other – that's perfect – because they have to come back up for air/reality and it's not that easy.

Music: Bon Iver – Skinny Love

* * *

Seat's Taken

* * *

Gabriel didn't really know what to expect after their rendezvous in the library. There was a difference between how someone seeking a release would act once it was over and it was back to the real world. Admittedly, he was a little apprehensive if Maggie would act like it never happened. She should act like it never happened, he thought, for her own sake. She had enough to deal with.

He got his answer when he was sitting down for dinner that night. He didn't see much of her during the day after he helped her track down where he had tossed her clothes in the rush of things. It was fine, they each had responsibilities. He was rather distracted and couldn't help the lazy grin on his face though.

"You up for a game tomorrow, Pretty Boy?" Zach asked Gabriel, sitting down at his corner table. Gabriel and Carl packed into the cafeteria early, just to beat the rush of people.

"If Doc says I can," Gabriel mumbled behind his first bite of food.

Zach grinned, looking to Carl. "I think he will, his team has been down a point guard a while now." Carl nodded, only sometimes being allowed to jump in with the older guys to play. It went without say their missing point guard became walker chow.

Gabriel snorted and shook his head, but he didn't mind so much.

Before he replied, he was distracted a tray offering in the air in his peripheral vision.

"Mind if I join you?" Maggie asked quietly, standing by the open spot next to Gabriel.

Gabriel lifted his head in genuine surprise. "Uh…" He stuttered, trying to think of a polite way to ask if she thought that was a wise decision. Everyone was already making their assumptions about her break up with Glenn, was flaunting it by sitting next to him a good idea?

"Seat's taken," A voice spoke up behind Maggie.

Maggie took a step back and turned to see Michonne standing there. If she didn't know her so well, Maggie would have missed the hint of amusement under the stern expression.

Maggie's eyebrows rose and she looked back to Gabriel. He just threw his hands in the air innocently.

"Excuse me," Maggie grinned, taking an overdramatic step back for Michonne to sit down.

She then added on lightly, smirking at Michonne, "For the record, I saw him first."

There were a few snorts and shaking heads at the table while Maggie took the seat next to Zach instead, further from Gabriel. The Aussie in question grinned at the teasing, but couldn't help a sly look towards Maggie. They didn't say much to each other, but at that point it was okay because Gabriel knew.

It wasn't long before Rick Grimes took up the other side of Michonne. Even Daryl stopped by for a few minutes, even though he didn't sit down, just to work out the watch schedule with Rick.

At one point, Michonne leaned over to Gabriel. "Pretty boy," She drew his attention from the faces that Carl was making at Rocky's begging under the table.

"Would you be able to show me on a map where you lost your group?" She asked meaningfully.

Gabriel frowned and stared at her before answering. It took him a moment to get the meaning behind her eyes. It wasn't that she was interested in his dead companions, but their murderer. "Yeah… but that was months ago and they're probably long gone," He said.

"It's a place to start," Michonne answered without batting an eye. Gabriel was a little unsettled by her determination.

"Right," He just nodded numbly and tried to warn her as well, "It's really far." It was up state a ways and beyond.

"You're leaving again?" Rick spoke up, catching a part of the conversation.

Michonne nodded, ignoring many of the looks from the rest of the tables' occupants. "Just for a little while." She then added on, "Any requests?"

"Books, comics?" She looked to Carl and then glanced back to Rick with a smirk, "Stale M&M's?"

"He's the one that likes those," Carl grinned and nodded towards Rick.

The Sheriff just grinned and didn't say anything.

"Then I'll definitely look for some," Michonne taunted.

Gabriel remained quiet with a content grin. He noticed the intrigued and thoughtful expression from Maggie, but didn't comment on it.

In that moment, the surreal thought occurred to him. Just a couple weeks ago, or even a month, whatever it was – he lost track of time – he had been alone at this table. Granted, he wasn't a chatterbox still, but he under estimated these people. Even after his shouting match with Glenn (which he had no idea how similar it was to another they heard before), they were still giving him a chance. They sat the table for their different reasons, not necessarily because of him, but it didn't matter.

Behind his plate of food, Gabriel watched the now full table of people with him – humbled by it. Of course the beautiful brunette was the one that thrilled him the most.

His eyes wandered away from the table and across the room. It was then he spotted Glenn – sitting alone. His dark eyes flickered up numerous times towards Gabriel's corner of the room, glaring lethal daggers. He was left alone, to cool off and settle down, the others were giving him space.

The content grin fell of Gabriel's expression slowly. He couldn't deny the niggling feeling in the pit of his stomach that this wouldn't bode well for long.

* * *

Maggie thought about letting it go, she really did. But the little voice in the back of her head just didn't let her.

She rubbed her forehead against her forearm, getting rid of the sweat that gathered while throwing her arms into the scrubbing.

She didn't hear Carol coming up behind her until she spoke.

"It's a little late for laundry, isn't it?" She had her arms folded over her chest. Her tone was light, but there was something heavy weighing on her mind.

Maggie paused what she was doing and turned to her from the washing bin edge that she sat on. "Yeah," She played it off coolly. "I wasn't tired yet and I thought when 'was the last time anyone washed these', you know?" She gestured down to the pillows and the now heavily soaked blanket.

The same ones from the library.

"I mean, we change the sheets in the cells all the time…" Her voice trailed off with a laugh. And after what she and Gabriel did on these ones, she couldn't let in good conscious innocent children sit on them for story time without cleaning them.

Carol gave a small smile. "That's true," She had to admit.

She remained quiet and Maggie took the chance to go back to scrubbing. The splashing of water carried on for a while and Maggie kept her face turned away from Carol, so she couldn't see the confusion at what she wanted in her eyes.

It made Maggie nervous and she scrubbed a little harder. Something was off with Carol, she could just tell.

"Maggie," She spoke up, in _that_ tone.

"Where's your ring?" She asked bluntly.

Maggie's hands stilled under the water. Slowly, she pulled up her left hand and her mouth hung open. Oh god, she had completely forgotten all about it. It didn't even occur to her to look for when she and Gabriel were hurrying to get out of the library.

"Oh, I… lost it," Maggie recovered, hoping her voice didn't pitch too much. She threw on a fake frustrated expression and turned back to Carol. "It must have fell off my finger," She waved her hand, like it was something normal that happened to anyone.

"Sure," Carol said quietly nodding her head just once.

There was a moment of silence between them in which Maggie had to try very hard not to look away.

"I found it," Carol declared in an odd and sudden tone. She reached into her jean pocket at that point and pulled out the familiar piece of jewelry.

"Oh… thank you," Maggie tried to look relieved without overdoing it. She reached out appreciatively to take it back.

But before she could reach Carol's hand, she pulled it back a bit.

Maggie froze, even further unsettled by Carol's cool gaze.

"You lost it, but you weren't looking for it," Carol pointed out, less of a question but an observation.

"I didn't realize it was gone," Maggie said quickly and actually not completely untruthfully.

"Right," Carol gave suspiciously, her eyes narrowing on Maggie. It could be understandable, but at the same time, an engagement ring was kind of one of those things most women would be frantic over losing.

"I found it in the library," She explained, "Over by where you and Gabriel were…" Her voice then trailed.

Maggie saw the change in her demeanor immediately.

Her eyes flickered suddenly from Maggie's empty hand to the pillows and blankets that were being washed, the same ones from the story circle. That wasn't the giveaway though, it was the reminder of the morning that she caught Maggie sneaking out of Gabriel's cell.

"Carol?" Maggie struggled to swallow her throat as she could practically see Carol piecing things together.

Regardless of whether it had been true or not the first time, she couldn't deny it a second time. "Oh, Maggie…" Her voice changed, fill with disappointment and something a little darker – what Maggie wasn't used to hearing from her.

"You didn't…" She hoped she didn't, but now the truth was staring her in the face. The wide-eyed, like a deer caught in headlights, look from Maggie only made it worse.

"Carol, please," Maggie urged, reaching out towards the ring.

Carol shook her head and her fingers curled around it, tucking it out of sight from Maggie. She took several steps back from Maggie and turned on her heel to leave before Maggie could even stand up.

Carol cared about Maggie and Glenn both. They had been through so much together. She knew Glenn longer though and maybe she didn't agree with everything about their relationship, but there was a line that had been crossed. Carol wasn't the quiet and demure housewife that would keep her head down anymore.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.


	29. A Firm Grip

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

There's one thing I just feel like saying about this story because I love it so much – There are no good guys or bad guys in this story. Every character has their flaws and made damnable mistakes; Maggie for cheating, Gabriel for following after a spoken for woman and Glenn struggling to deal with that (his will continue to develop). The fact there are no squeaky clean characters is what makes it great because that's the way life is. There are no good guys and bad guys, simply characters that you sympathize with more than the others.

That being said, who's ready to see Glenn starting to go el loco?

aSprightlySoar: I'm sorry you're sick of the ring! Honestly, it's probably the last time we'll see after this chapter. An important aspect of this story is appearances and how things look to other characters – Carol is making the assumption that Maggie is sleeping with Gabriel (as in multiple occasions dating back weeks before the breakup) based on her observations of Maggie sneaking out of Gabriel's cell and her behavior around him in front of others.

Recovering Beckett: When you say creepily realistic… do you mean because Carol is creepy in that scene or it's scary how accurate it is to her character? I really hope the latter, haha! But it's something I could see just about anyone saying to Maggie and also Maggie's reaction.

Music: Breaking Benjamin – What Lies Beneath

* * *

A Firm Grip

* * *

His fingers shook in the reflection of the mirror as he splashed the water of his face. He didn't bother going to the communal showers and baths, like most of the other survivors used. This time, he just needed a moment alone. They didn't need to see how much his hands were shaking or the look in his eyes as he stared back at his own reflection.

Each moment that passed, he felt a little bit less like the man he was before. The goofy pizza boy that was scared of loud noises and drooling over sports cars had long since disappeared. He had been on his way to becoming a family man with a beautiful wife on his arm. And that had been taken away too, not by walkers, but painfully over the matter of weeks.

Now that was gone too.

His mind went back to the conversation he had with Carol late the previous night. She came out to the guard tower while he was on watch. At first, they talked about many things, the children and the slight draught they were going through.

But then she turned the conversation towards him and Maggie. He knew it was coming from her. It was Carol, she was always the mother hen of the group that wasn't afraid to smack your knuckles with a ruler.

"I was so stunned when I heard what happened on the supply run, I didn't think that was you, Glenn," Carol was saying to him and he had to try really hard to bite his tongue, letting her say her piece. "But with Maggie sleeping with him and everything that's been happening, I think I understand it now…"

"And I'm so sorry," She held out the ring to him. Glenn numbly took it from her. They hadn't even told the others yet.

He stared at it before repeating in a hollow tone the only part he really heard, "Maggie's sleeping with Gabriel?"

He didn't really hear much of what she said after that. Maybe it was the shock that caused his brain to stop processing it. He caught a bit about her saying something like, "Don't get me wrong, I don't think it was the right thing to do… But I can understand it…"

The older woman sympathized with the distress he must be going through. She could think of a similar woman who drove a pick axe through her deceased husband's head multiple times.

_Maggie's sleeping with Gabriel._

She is sleeping with him. Not as in she _slept_ with him, implying only once after they broke up – which only started a couple of days ago, too. She is sleeping with him, as in plural and many times. Perhaps ongoing still and who knows for long. For who knows how long, his fiancé had her legs wrapped around another man. For who knows how long, he touched her in ways that he should only be privilege to.

The mirror in front of Glenn shattered from his fist being driven through it. The glass splintered and broke like a spider web.

There was another crash again, from his knuckles slicing into the jagged edges.

His face became more and more distorted with each successive blow after that – making him completely unrecognizable.

* * *

"Gabriel!" Glenn's voice echoed down the cellblock as he came out of the hallway, heading towards the recess area. He spotted the Aussie on the other end migrating towards the other end.

Gabriel stopped and stiffened immediately at the approaching man. He couldn't help the reflexive step back he took and the way he squared his shoulders, readying himself. He didn't know what to make of the brisk steps. Briefly, he glanced towards the other people in the recess area.

Daryl was amongst them, picking up his head from talking to Beth who had Judith in his arms. Some of the others were getting ready for the cleanup as well.

"You going to the clean up?" Glenn asked him, adjusting the long sleeve shirt. Based on his wet hair, it looked like he had just changed and he was rolling up the sleeves.

"Yeah…" Gabriel drawled out slowly and uncertainly. Why was he looking at him casually, as if he hasn't tried to knock his block off before? "Just as light duty," He explained shortly. Rick said the build-up wasn't bad as this time and with enough people they could finish it off pretty quickly.

"Good, good," Glenn said. He was jumpy. Gabriel has seen cokeheads sit still better than him. "Can I talk to you a minute?" At this point, he was close enough for a normal conversation between two people that didn't hate each other.

"Okay…" Gabriel gave reluctantly, glancing towards the others. Daryl was taking a keen interest, but kept his distance. This place was as good as any to talk with all the other people around.

"I just wanted to apologize…" Glenn said and Gabriel just about fell over, his eyes narrowed on him. "You know," Glenn half shrugged with his words, like if he would understand. "with what happened at Big Spot. I wasn't thinking straight, I panicked and all. I got scared. That wasn't really me."

To add to it, Glenn offered his hand out to Gabriel.

Gabriel could have been as still as a statue, just staring blankly at Glenn. Did he hit his head or something? He looked down at the hand in the air and wanted to curse. Because of the people around them, it would look bad if he did anything but shake his hand. He noticed the bandage across his knuckles too.

Very, quite very, reluctantly, Gabriel placed his hand in Glenn's. Of course, he did so confidently, not to appear weak in the slightest.

"It happens, right?" Gabriel said carefully and as most neutrally he could manage.

He was taken further back by the firm grip Glenn returned. He shook it shortly and quickly, but didn't let go. In fact, he took a half a step closer and lowered his voice between them. Gabriel didn't look down because he was more alarmed by the look in Glenn's eyes, like if he was sharing some perverse secret.

Glenn grinned at him in a manner that he struggled to place. "Yeah, yeah it does," He still didn't let go of Gabriel's hand. "It's just these walls and all this iron everywhere, the bars… makes it hard to see sometimes, you know what I mean?"

Gabriel found himself leaning away from Glenn a bit, but trying not to make it too obvious.

"No, not really…" He denied bluntly. Besides, just because he was from Australia didn't mean he was an exiled convict.

Glenn let out a chuckle that was one strangled breath with a smile. He still didn't let go of Gabriel's hand, his grip was tight but the Aussie didn't back down.

"Listen…" Glenn continued, cocking his head as if to study him. "You're a good guy, right? That's why you've been around Maggie so much."

"Of course," Gabriel muttered, his brows furrowing. Yeah, buddy, whatever it takes to get you out of my personal fucking space right now, he thought to himself.

"And you wouldn't hurt her," Glenn's hand still kept moving up and down. Gabriel couldn't tell if that was a question or an accusation.

"Never," He denied immediately.

Those teeth of Glenn showed again. "Good, that's good…" His whispering trailed off.

Gabriel figured out just what sort of smile it was then. There was something primal about it. It wasn't the type of smile that friends exchanged, it wasn't human. It was quite literally the way primates bared their teeth to their foes before attacking them.

Gabriel swallowed thickly and looked down to the hands still moving between them. "What happened to your hand?" He tried to change the subject and break Glenn out of that stare he was giving him.

"Just scraped it up a bit," Glenn dismissed easily without looking away from Gabriel's face.

Gabriel could see some of the blood staining through the white bandage. "You should probably get Doc to look at that…" He said, not so much as a health concern, but an excuse to get the Korean man away from him.

Glenn let out another snort, a breathy laugh that was grating on Gabriel's nerves.

He didn't know what was so funny about what he said.

"Yeah, I should," He agreed, studying Gabriel a moment long before clasping him on the shoulder with his other hand. As if they were actually friends.

He finally let go of his hand and turned to head outside without looking back.

Gabriel frowned, staring at him in a state of bewilderment. He flexed his fingers slowly in front of him from the tight grip, the tips of them had been starting to go purple.

To the others, it looked like two bitter rivals finally starting to hash things out. They didn't see the way Gabriel's hairs were standing up on the back of his neck. He wanted to know what the hell that was all about, but at the same time, he was worried about finding out.


	30. The Blind Side

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

First off, my hat goes off to Gannicus for picking up on the parallels of this love triangle with the season two love triangle. That being said, it will not be the same. I am putting my twist on everything, of course. One important thing I will say is that Maggie will not flip flop back and forth like Lori did for several reasons – but the main one happens in this chapter.

There are no innocent characters in my story.

aSprightlySoar: Not gonna lie, I would probably pee my pants a little if someone ever shook my hand like that. And awesome snag on that immortal line! YES! Someone got that, yeah, I was poking fun at Kol (I do that to my own characters, I'm weird).

Healthy Beckett: I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to bring in the "infection" yet or the rats, I need to see it play out more first – it hasn't inspired me yet, but might, we'll see. But thank you!

M: The Shane head shaving scene is one of my favorites of him! But yeah, Glenn is on a slippery slope at this point, not completely gone yet, but it's not looking good.

Music: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Face Down

* * *

The Blind Side

* * *

Gabriel ran his hands through his hair, trying to shake off that conversation before going outside to join the others.

They were gathering around Rick, who was going through the run down and giving out orders. Daryl stood by his side and Glenn was amongst the crowd. Gabriel hung in the back, catching the tail end of the conversation, but he already knew where he was going. Rick had agreed to let him out there with a machete to help keep walkers off their backs. You only needed one arm for that really.

"Maggie, you help Sasha and Karen out at the fences," Rick gave out the last order, earning a nod from the brunette. She already had a crow bar in hand, along with the several other members that were going to try to distract the few stray walkers out there.

"Let's roll," Daryl spoke up, anxious at all this talk and just wanting to get shit done already.

The group started to head down towards the exercise field and the main gate. Maggie hung back to grab Gabriel by the arm.

"Hey," She stopped him gently, a firm grip on his forearm. Seeing the concern in her eyes, Gabriel halted. Naturally his hand touched at her waist.

Maggie glanced to the others to make sure they wouldn't hear before saying to him, "Carol knows."

Gabriel's expression deadpanned. Shit, already? As if they didn't have enough to face at the moment.

"When?" He asked, wondering how it was that Carol figured it out so quickly.

"Last night," She answered him.

Gabriel's expression pulled together thoughtfully. He didn't have time to question female intuition. His eyes moved up to the group, most of them had their backs to them as they kept walking – chatting lightly towards the main gate. Some of the survivors hung back with the children, like Carol and Hershel. No one was paying them much attention, but Gabriel didn't care.

"What is it?" Maggie asked, seeing him mentally disappear for a moment.

He just shook his head, unable to describe his bad feeling. What was he going to say? Glenn apologized in a way that really freaked him out?

"Just be careful," Gabriel told her, but felt like he was really talking to himself too.

Before he could second guess himself, Gabriel leant down quickly and pressed his lips to her forehead. Maggie stopped with her mouth open. It was swift and fleeting, leaving her staring after Gabriel as he went with the rest of the group.

* * *

Maggie shook her head, yanking the crow bar out of the decomposing skull. She wasn't watching the walker too closely, but the group of survivors picking up the corpses and tossing them into wheel barrels. She wasn't the only anxious loved one though, since most of the men were outside that fence, trying to make quick work of it.

She shook her head at Gabriel, who was helping Tyreese with a loose one that limps kept falling off of. She really hoped he wouldn't overdo it with his shoulder.

"So what's up with you and Glenn lately?" Karen spoke up, not being as close with the Atlanta survivors, being from Woodbury.

Maggie sighed, jamming the crow bar into the fence again.

"You two seem off," Karen put it politely, the obvious tension between them.

"You can say that again," Maggie muttered. She glanced out of the corner of her eye, noticing that Sasha was listening too.

"What happened?" Karen pressed.

All of the sudden, Maggie missed when girl talk and gossiping was done while watching Sex and the City, not Walkers on the Fence.

Maggie just decided to treat it like a band aid. "I broke off the engagement," She declared bluntly.

"What?!" Karen gasped, even Sasha's head snapped in her direction.

"Why?" Karen had to ask.

Maggie grimaced as she yanked the crow bar back out of the fence, groaning slightly when a little bit sprayed her clothes. She looked back up to the group outside the fences. That was when her heart sank at what she saw and the scream bubbled up from her lips, "_Gabriel_!"

* * *

Things were going well outside the fence. They were getting the bodies loaded, dividing into two teams, one that loaded the bodies and the rest that ran out into the forest to drop them.

That was until a small group of walkers came shuffling out the woods. Gabriel picked his machete back up and joined Glenn, Tyreese, Zach and some of the others to take them down. He didn't care who he stood next to, as long as they worked as a team to get rid of them.

Glenn took one walker down, just to see two more in its place. He took out the other with a slash to the head, but then had to throw the second off his shoulders. He pushed it away from him.

He thought about slashing that one down too, until he saw it keep shuffling forward.

Right towards Gabriel's backside.

For a morbid moment, he just stopped and watched.

* * *

Gabriel gritted his teeth while he pulled back the machete blade from the eye socket of the walker in front of him. In a rather disgusting manner, most of the decaying orbital bone came with it.

That was when he heard the shrill scream, saying his name and sounding a lot like Maggie. He turned on his heel. He didn't get a chance to see her though. The walker was nearly on top of him and groping at his shirt.

Gabriel let out a swear and stumbled back, just trying to get out of its reach.

Rotten blood splattered over his face. His eyes reflexively shut from the spray and the walker groans ceased with the sound of crunching bone.

Gabriel opened his eyes to see the blade being yanked back through the skull before the corpse dropped. Standing behind it was Glenn with a fiery determined glare.

The Aussie glanced up and down from the corpse to Glenn. What the hell? Glenn was supposed to cover his flank and he didn't even say a word about that walker. It was Maggie that alerted him.

And yet he did get the walker.

But Glenn just stared at him and gave him a nod. Almost as if it to say, "What of it?"

* * *

As soon as the group came inside the main gate, Maggie moved with a fury towards them. She moved for the front of the pack, Glenn was one of the first ones back inside. Gabriel hung back just to give Carl a hand with the heavy gate while the others moved the wheel barrels and shovels back inside.

Maggie dropped her crow bar and marched straight up to Glenn. The Asian man stopped in his path when he noticed her coming towards him.

Her hands were shaking before she even raised her hand and the first crack echoed in the air.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Maggie shouted at him. She knew he threw that walker at Gabriel the second she saw Glenn just standing there.

Glenn didn't get a chance to respond or recover from the sting of the slap before she raised her hand to give him another one.

All the conversation from the others stopped, heads turned and there were hushed "Whoas…" The closest ones took a step forward, but they were stopped by the sheer surprise of _Maggie_ going after Glenn.

"How could you do that!" Maggie shouted at him.

"Maggie wait!" Glenn rose his hands up to his face in defense, trying to keep the assault of cracking skin and scratching nails away from him.

* * *

Gabriel was helping Carl shut the fence when he heard the first rise in the voices. His hands stopped on the chain link, simply at the confusion of who could be shouting about what.

It was hard to see what was happening. He heard Maggie's voice.

But with all the bodies of the people standing between him and them, he couldn't get a clear line of sight. Especially since they quickly started to close in on the ex-couple.

It wasn't until he heard the crack and Maggie appeared his line of vision, stumbling backwards with her hands over her face did he stir back to life.

The other voices rose in the air, like a crowd did at a sports competition over a surprising play. But this was no game to Gabriel.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Glenn's voice shout with horror at what he did, filled with regret. "Maggie, I swear I didn't –"

"What the fuck!" Daryl's voice joined the air, shouting profanities among others that tightened in on them.

Honestly, Maggie wasn't really listening. Her mind went blank the moment her head jerked to the side.

It was strange how quickly everything could just halt with a snap. Your mind just blanks out on thoughts and reasons. You don't really question why the ground is rushing up on you or why you are struggling to remain on your feet.

You don't really question the slight ringing between your ears or how it even happened.

Your hands just clasp over your face and process just how much it hurts. How much it throbs, like your skull is just reverberating in your own head and how much of an overwhelmingly jarring sensation it is before the pain truly starts.

"Margaret!" Gabriel's voice echoes off her shoulder before two arms wrap around her. One catches the back of her head and they pulled her into his chest. She just closes her eyes and grasps onto the front of his shirt to keep herself from swaying.

* * *

Gabriel is seeing red, wanting to rip into the Korean man being pushed further and further away from them, but his first priority is Maggie. That's the only reason he doesn't take off immediately after him. He can feel her shaking frame against his body.

It also helps looking up and seeing Daryl going after Glenn along with Tyreese. Although, he honestly can't tell if Tyreese is helping or trying to break up the situation.

"You think you're tough now, huh!" Daryl shouts at Glenn, pushing at his shoulders. The young man is just blubbering out apologies and not fighting him back. The fired up redneck doesn't hear it, "Come on, let's go!"

Rick pauses between the two sides that are forming, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Hey, you got her?" The Sheriff pointed a finger at Gabriel to make sure.

"Yeah," He nodded numbly, over the sobs that he could hear starting to sound against his chest.

"Good, get her out of here," Rick ordered and barely waited for a response before turning towards the crowd of men that were steadily getting out of control.

Gabriel decided he could beat the hell out of Glenn later, because it looked like Daryl was going to do it first. "Come on, I got you," He said to Maggie, feeling her still hiding her face in his shirt. Sasha and Karen started to gather around them. He glanced up to see Carol running down the gravel road with Hershel hobbling not too far behind.

Maggie blindly stumbled a few steps forward at Gabriel's prompting before he decided to hell with worrying about his shoulder. He just wanted to get her out of there. "I have you," He reassured her, tightening his grip around her waist before he bent down to catch the back of her knees as well.

With a grunt, he hoisted her body up against his chest. He didn't care about the shouts or the chaos around him, just the noises she made and fingers clutching at him for support.


	31. Changing House

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I got to say I'm intrigued by everyone's reaction to last chapter! Everyone defended Maggie and said Glenn was completely in the wrong. I'm not saying I endorse any women getting hit, but I found that interesting everyone defended Maggie, even though she provoked Glenn and it was implied the strike was an accident and/or act of self defense.

Beckett: Nice snag on catching the Tomas reference! Next chapter we'll see more of Glenn's side of things/aftermath of that.

aSprightlySoar: It was a fun chapter to write (I hope that doesn't sound weird?) because I didn't want to have Glenn going after Gabriel directly again, so that was throwing the walker, and then the strike against Maggie seems accidental.

M: Next chapter we will see Carol confront Glenn for sure (way to go Carol, for opening your mouth) – the others I'm still hammering out the details. I'm very much making this story up as I go, it's not nearly as planned out as my other fics. Thanks girl!

Music: Buckcherry – Sorry

* * *

Changing House

* * *

"Say the word and I will beat the shit out of him," Gabriel promised, sitting in Maggie's cell with her pulled against his side.

It was easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of the moment, especially with so many people around them, talking about what happened and worrying how about Maggie was. Truthfully, his hands shook and the only reason he didn't take off after Glenn was because he was busy holding Maggie, trying to reassure her.

He better keep holding onto her or he might do something reckless.

Maggie shook her head against his shoulder. "No," She mumbled behind the tears that started to follow. The last thing she needed was more fighting or the chance of Gabriel getting hurt.

It was Hershel that shushed some of the women out of the cell with directions and got Maggie to show her face. She sat up, leaning away from Gabriel, but she didn't let go of him. He felt her knuckles knot tightly on his jeans and his shirt. He took it as an invitation to remain while Hershel inspected Maggie's face, sitting on the other side of her.

Gabriel was quiet and held his tongue through most of it. He didn't say anything to the survivors that stopped and gave an odd look at the pair clutching to each other before recovering. He heard Hershel say it would likely be just a black eye. Her face was already swelling around her eye and extremely sensitive to the touch. Maggie received a cool rag to hold against it, the closest thing to an ice pack they had.

Gabriel noticed a lot of the men were absent from the cellblock, except for the younger ones like Carl and Patrick and the older ones like Hershel and Lizzie's father. They were probably out dealing with Glenn where else in the prison.

It was probably better that way.

* * *

"I'm so sorry," Gabriel whispered into her hair. He chose to focus on her, instead of her father that chose to remain in the cell with permanent frown on his face. He wasn't the one that hit her, but he was sorry for the pain and distress she was in.

Once the initial excitement wore off, people began to leave them alone with just Carl and Beth checking up on them frequently.

Maggie heard him, but there was the one blaring fact she couldn't shake from her mind, no matter how much her face throbbed.

She stifled her sniffle and clutched Gabriel a little tighter within the circle of his arms. "He threw that walker at you," She said in a quiet voice. That was what caused her to just snap. It was one thing to hear rumors of Glenn leaving Gabriel behind, but then to see something like that unfolded in front of her like that was another thing entirely.

"What?" Gabriel wasn't sure if he was as stunned to hear that as he should have been.

"I saw him just standing there, watching," Maggie murmured, staring absently at the fabric of Gabriel's shirt.

It was Hershel that spoke up from the sitting stool on the other side of the room. "Maggie," He drew her attention, concern and shock written across his face, "Do you know what you're saying?" It had looked like an accident to everyone he heard whispering about it.

She leant her head off Gabriel's shoulder to look at her father, still holding the rag to her face. "I know what I saw, I don't care what anyone else says," She defended fiercely.

"Hey," Gabriel spoke up gently, drawing her green eyes back to him. "I believe you." God knows Glenn had been acting strange enough before it happened.

Maggie appeared relieved at that while Hershel was pulled into stern silence. Gabriel drew her back against his chest.

It unsettled Gabriel thinking how close that walker had come to biting or scratching him, especially with the blood still sprayed on his face.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Maggie asked him, definitely not wanting to be alone.

"Of course," Gabriel agreed without batting an eye. Hell, he would stay with her all day too, to make sure she was okay. He didn't care, reading, watching movies, or just keeping her company – whatever it took to make her feel better.

"It certainly wouldn't be the first time," Hershel clipped out shortly from his side of the cell. He could see it probably wouldn't be the last time either.

Gabriel and Maggie both looked up at him abruptly. Maggie's eyes were much more expressive than Gabriel's of her surprise.

"Maggie, I'm your father. I've had the paternal instinct of knowing when you've been sneaking out of your room since middle school," He explained, it was hard to see if he was smiling or frowning behind the beard. "That hasn't changed just because we changed house."

Gabriel swallowed thickly. He couldn't tell if the old man was condoning the actions or threatening him.

Carl appeared around the corner at that moment.

"Hershel," He interrupted the conversation and Gabriel's mental sweating. Maggie was just about biting a hole in her lip.

The old man looked to the younger Grimes', unperturbed.

"My dad wants to have a Council meeting," He said.

Hershel nodded simply and hoisted himself up onto his feet. "I gathered he would," He replied simply and moved to follow after Carl. He heard the sigh of relief behind him when he left.

* * *

"Your father is a little terrifying," Gabriel observed when it was just the two of them.

Maggie cracked a smile with a snort of a laugh. Gabriel was relieved to see her stop crying.

"I don't have to worry about waking up to a shotgun in my face, do I?" Gabriel teased, trying to lighten the moment just a little bit.

"No," Maggie grinned, pulling the rag away from her face a little. "Not from him at least," She then added just to make Gabriel nervous. He didn't know that her father didn't like guns anyway.

Maggie laughed from that look on Gabriel's face.

Unfortunately, it turned into a wince from her expression moving too much. She sobered up and let out a sigh, setting the rag down. Gabriel could see just how much her eye was starting to swell, almost shut and where some of the coloration was coming in.

Maggie noticed his staring. "You're probably not going to want to kiss me for a while," She murmured regretfully.

She didn't even want to know just how bad it looked.

"Nonsense," Gabriel protested immediately. "I always want to kiss you."

Just to prove his point further, a finger under her chin lifted her face up to look at him. Carefully he leaned towards her, tilting his head to the side a little. Of course he went a little slower, he didn't want to hurt her, but that didn't stop him.

He just kissed her softly and tenderly, cradling her face with his hand on the side unaffected.

* * *

It was Rick himself that came back to the cell some time later. Gabriel didn't bother leaving Maggie's cell. He had a bad feeling in his gut, but he tried not to let it show. When Rick came back, the Aussie was leaning back against the wall on the cot with Maggie using him as a body pillow practically.

"Gabriel," Rick nodded to them both. "A word?" He requested.

"Sure," Gabriel mumbled, having a feeling this moment was it. Most of the cell block had been quiet. It was just a waiting game at this point. Even Rocky picked up on the mood of the place. She came in a while ago and plopped herself down in the corner of the cell.

Rick waited by the entrance to the cell while the couple stirred. He mentally noted the whisper of reassurance Gabriel gave her before pressing a kiss into her hairline and getting up to follow the Sheriff.

Walking through the cell block, Gabriel noticed some activity on the second level. He caught a glimpse of Patrick and Zach moving belongings, but he couldn't tell if they were going in or out. He didn't have time to get a good look, never mind ask about it, because he had to keep up with Rick.

* * *

Rick led Gabriel down into the library. The Aussie had to immediately staunch the last vivid memory he had of the place and remain focused.

That wasn't hard to do once they stepped inside and he saw the assembly of people inside. They were all sitting at the wooden tables, gathered around in the long discussion they just had. It was the entire Council; Rick, Hershel, Carol, Daryl, Sasha, Tyreese, and Karen. All of them wore grave and tired expressions.

This is it, Gabriel realized, this is when they're going to tell him to pack his bags and leave.

Naturally, Rick led the discussion and asked for Gabriel to tell his side of what happened – what he saw. The Aussie told him exactly as he saw what happened. He told them about the walker outside of the fence and not hearing it coming. He told them about what little he heard and saw of Maggie and Glenn's fight.

When he finished recalling it, he did add though, "I honestly have no idea if it was intentional or an accident." It was too hard for him to call and he wasn't the type to throw an accusation unless he was sure. He didn't mean just the walker either.

Gabriel didn't have much of a chance to dwell on it though. He was nervous by the lack of emotional response from the various Council members. At most he got a couple of nods at certain parts that matched up with other witness accounts.

He chose to look towards Rick mostly then, keeping his hands in his pockets to hide how white his knuckles were.

Rick was silent, staring thoughtfully before glancing over his shoulder at Daryl. The redneck was sitting against the edge of the table with his arms over his chest. He gave a meaningful nod to Rick.

"Alright," Rick said.

Gabriel realized then it didn't matter what he said. They already made up their mind before he even entered the room.

"Given what happened, we think its best that you and Glenn are separated," Rick declared. "Glenn is going to be moving into cell block D, swapping with Zach."

He didn't mention the divide there had been in the Council. In general, everyone agreed that it was wrong for Glenn to strike Maggie, but they were mixed on what to do about it. Some like Tyreese and Carol saw Glenn being attacked and defending himself. Others wanted him further than cell block D, put into isolation for a while on the old death row block. It went without say that all the problems between the couple dated back to the arrival of the Aussie man.

Gabriel's mouth hung open for a moment, realizing he wasn't being told to leave after all.

"Sir, with all due respect," He recovered, trying to wrap his head around this change of events that were completely opposite to what he was expecting.

"If anyone should move, it should be me," Gabriel voiced, shaking his head a bit. "Glenn is a part of your group. I haven't been here long at all." By your group, he meant the original Atlanta survivors and Gabriel knew he was only making the situation worse by the close proximity to Maggie.

He didn't understand the odd look in Rick's eyes before the Sheriff disagreed with him. "I appreciate that, but it's not just you that Glenn needs to be separated from."

He meant Maggie and Gabriel wasn't going to disagree with that.

"And it makes no sense for the both of you to move into cell block D, especially not with Maggie's family in cell block C," Rick explained. She would need whatever positive support system that she had.

"Sure," Gabriel nodded numbly, trying to ignore the slight sweat in his hands.

Rick paused and glanced around at the Council, making sure he had their backing on this, even if some more begrudgingly than others.

"But I need to know if we can count on you to keep an eye on her?" Rick asked of Gabriel. Rick would like to think that he would based on what he saw today and how he took care of Maggie.

Gabriel's gut instinct and mind immediately wanted to scream yes. But instead, he just stared at Rick slightly dazed by all of this.

"No," He finally said. He could sense the others sitting up a little stiffer in their seats and Carol frowning deeply.

Gabriel went on to explain quickly before Rick's brows furrowed too much and he interrupted, "I'm not going to tell her what to do or babysit her, but I will defend her if I have to and I won't hurt her. I'll do my best to make sure no one else does either."

A part of him bristled at the fact they were having this conversation without her in the first place, but he kept that thought to himself.

Rick's step subdued at that and any protest that either Council was thinking of was silenced. It gave them something else to chew on.

Having nothing else to say, Gabriel just gave a respectful nod to Rick and went through the double doors, wanting to get back to Maggie.

At the doors shut, Sasha let out a low whistle, cutting through the tension of the room. It felt like the others could move again.

Rick was quietly grinning to himself though. He looked back to Daryl, who just raised his eyebrows in a manner to say, "Told ya so."

"Nice call, Detective," Rick smirked at him.

Daryl snorted, "Stop." The last thing he wanted was that stupid nickname sticking of all the ridiculous theories Zach threw out.


	32. Cell Security

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Okay, so I lied – Glenn's half will appear next chapter. I had some serious Mabriel feelings, so I indulged them with this chapter! You can skip the Lemon for now, it's not relevant plot-wise (but it may become so later).

Bacon Beckett: I just had to throw that in after seeing Carol teasing him about it! Thank you! I promise we'll see Glenn's side soon.

M: Glenn's isolation will be good and bad, you'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Gannicus: Thanks! It's easy to bust out these short chapters between classes. But yes, Carol is definitely meddlesome, but she has good intentions. I'll try to get a little more Rocky in there! ;D

aSprightlySoar: I'm not sure if I would say Hershel is on Glenn's side after seeing him hit Maggie, but he's got more history with Glenn than Gabriel.

Music: OneRepublic – All We Are

* * *

Cell Security

* * *

"Do you really think this is right? Locking him up like a prisoner?" Carol was the one to stop Rick outside the library after the other Council members filed out.

"It's _Glenn_," She stressed. This wasn't some stranger they picked up off the street.

"I know," Rick muttered, scratching absently at his beard. It wasn't an easy decision for any of them to make. It was hard to believe the same boy that had talked him out of that tank in Atlanta had knocked Maggie a good one.

"It's just Hershel and I would both feel better not having to worry about anything happening," Rick explained. They had learned the hard way they can't keep an eye on everything all at once.

"At least let me talk to him," Carol reasoned. "And see where his head is at."

Rick thought it over before nodding. "Alright, but not today, give him a chance to simmer down and think about things first," He decided, pausing before stipulating as well, "And the cell stays locked overnight."

Carol wasn't completely thrilled at the arrangement, but it was something and she would take that.

* * *

Gabriel felt a little lighter coming back to the cell block, especially since it looked like he wasn't going to be thrown out of the prison after all. It was crazy how when he showed up at this place, he wanted nothing to do with these people, not the idea of leaving scared him more than anything.

Well, more like leaving her. And he didn't mean Rocky because he knew that mutt would follow him anywhere.

However, Gabriel found neither one of them when he returned to Maggie's cell. "Margaret?" He called out, a little confused and decided to check his cell.

He relaxed when he found the brunette picking through his movie selection.

"Sorry," She looked up from what she was doing. She didn't bother bringing the cooling rag, giving it a break for a while. "I just didn't want to sit in there alone," She explained.

"Oh, that's fine," Gabriel nodded. "I'm just going to wash up a bit," He gestured towards his face and the dried blood.

"Sure," Maggie replied.

* * *

By the time he came back from the shower, Maggie had made herself quite comfortable in his cell. Gabriel felt much calmer, knowing that Glenn was being taken care and she was safe with him. He opted to spend the rest of the day with her. Given the fact his cell was on the end of the block, it was the most secluded of them.

They watched a couple of movies and Gabriel was left wondering who was using that as more of an excuse to be closer to the other one. A few times he ran to the washrooms to cool off the rag again for Maggie's face. It didn't escape Gabriel's notice that she was shy about showing her face around others.

Given that, he offered to run for food from the cafeteria, just to let her avoid the stares for one day. While Maggie smiled at his jokes and teasing, there was still a somber air to her. Of course part of it was because of the pain and swelling.

The other part surfaced when it was dark out and people were starting to tuck in for the night. "Can we get out of here?" Maggie blurted out suddenly with her cheek tucked against Gabriel's chest.

Gabriel's eyebrows rose and he just cocked his head at her.

"Out of the cellblock," Maggie clarified at his confusion. "I'm just tired of these walls."

"Where do you want to go?" Gabriel asked, tucking some of Maggie's hair behind her ear as he did. He knew their options of going anywhere were rather limited.

"One of the guard towers?" Maggie suggested, knowing many people that snuck away from them from time to time and even stayed out all night.

That was how Gabriel and Maggie were sneaking out of the cellblock shortly after with pillows and blankets tucked under their arms.

Four pairs of legs crossed through the courtyard, their footsteps drowned out by the crickets in the air. One pair was Maggie, one pair was Gabriel, and the other two was the bulky pup that wagged her tail with curious excitement to see where her master was going.

A couple minutes later, they were up in one of the guard towers. There were some of the paper thin mattresses left up there from other people. Gabriel and Maggie spread the covers out before tucking in with a flashlight and some books.

Gabriel was just starting to relax when he let out a groan and had to dodge the paws dancing on top of them.

"Damnit, Rocky!"

* * *

[Entering Lemon Zone]

* * *

Maggie stirred with a slight groan. She had her hands tucked under the pillow she was resting her head on. Although lying on her side, she felt an arm draped across her waist. The morning light was coming through wide windows of the small guard tower room. There was a slight dewy must in the air.

"Morning," Gabriel mumbled sleepily from behind her, only half the greeting actually escaping his lips.

Maggie let out a grumble of a protest. If you could call it a good morning. Half her face felt like the size of a melon. And she wasn't a morning person on a normal basis.

Gabriel pulled his arm back, to stretch out a bit. Maggie felt the slight tug on the blanket from his motions while she just pulled the blankets up around her shoulders even more. Once he was satisfied with the cracking in his back and stretching out his muscles, Gabriel shuffled back closer to Maggie and slipped his arm back under the covers to wrap around her.

Several minutes went by, he could tell she was awake but neither one of them was eager to leave. "You okay?" He whispered gently, pressing his mouth against her shoulder.

"Yeah, just feel terrible," She mumbled, practically feeling the heat of the swelling around her eye. "I don't want to see everyone else yet," She said, just imagining the stares she'll get.

"Then screw them, they can wait," Gabriel muttered bluntly. His arm pulled her back closer against his chest. Her body felt soft against his lean and lanky frame.

Maggie snorted slightly from his attitude.

Her eyes fluttered close after a few moments. "What are you doing?" She had to ask, feeling his lips leaving open mouthed kisses along her shoulder and moving closer to her neck.

"Trying to make you feel better," He answered her, pulling the strap of her tank and bra off her shoulder before kissing the skin there.

His hand went down along her side, running slowly and taking his time because for that moment they had all the time in the world. He let himself become familiar with the taste of her flesh and the feel of her skin against his lips while his hand moved down to her hip, running wide and open circles.

Maggie felt him shuffling behind her, the blankets lifting and tugging this way and that, but she couldn't see what he was fumbling with. She tried to turn to face him, but his body wouldn't allow it.

"Just relax," He whispered to her. Maggie twisted her neck to look over her shoulder at him. It was close enough to brush her lips against his. Meanwhile, his hand ran over the elastic waist of her shorts. Gabriel's lips claimed hers more firmly than they did last night.

Especially when he heard the gasp of surprise she gave at the fingers slipping under her panties. Maggie shivered from the chilling surprise of them, followed by the slow rubbing of her clit. She pulled a hand out from under the pillow, trying to reach back to Gabriel.

He pulled back from her lips enough to whisper teasingly, "Nuh-uh." His hand slipped out from her legs and grabbed her wrist, prompting her to put it back down. "Relax," He reminded her with a smirk.

His hand went back her shorts and opted to pull them off this time, her legs squirmed rather eagerly to get rid of the offensive articles of clothing. He reclaimed her lips, taking a few more moments to feel how wet she was becoming with his fingers.

Eventually, he eased her hips forward a bit and had her bend one knee, opening them up more. Maggie at this point was almost lying on her stomach with both hands clutching to the pillow beneath her face.

"Although, you may want to try to be quiet," Gabriel whispered to her in a husky tone, knowing anyone wandering too closely to the guard tower could hear her if she was loud. Gabriel positioned himself over her, watching her face closely with a smirk while he lined his hips up against hers.

He reveled in the whimper of eagerness she gave and the slight way her back arched, pushing her hips up against him before he slid inside of her. Maggie gasped and her eyes widening from the filling, but different sensation from last time.

Compared to the hurriedness of their first time, Gabriel eased himself through long strokes into her. He kept himself up on his good shoulder while his other hand held her front to him. He relished the mewing and moans that started to fall from Maggie's lips as he grew more zealous.

Between him thrusting in and out of her and the fingers occasionally adding to the sensation against her clit, Maggie felt the tension build quickly and the rope snapped. Maggie had to press her face into the pillow to bury the sounds, which vaguely resembled his name.

It wasn't long much after that before Gabriel came to his own release. Maggie felt her legs quivering and shaking, but thrilled over the satisfaction of feeling him find his release in her. She felt his muscles throbbing; the one inside her, the ones clutching her body against his and his panting against her shoulder.

Coming down from his high, Gabriel pulled out of her and eased back to lying on his side behind her.

* * *

[Lemon Free Zone]

* * *

Maggie's eyes opened against the pillow. This time she was wide awake and much more content than the first time. Her heart was still pounding against her chest from the rush. She unplucked her fingers from the casing and turned slowly on her side to face him.

She saw Gabriel's smile briefly before he kissed her chastely, his thumb running lightly along her jawline. This time, she was able to reach up with both hands to his hair.

"Okay," Maggie broke from his lips, changing her mind. "I take it back, this is a good morning."

She felt his chuckle against her skin and the smugness radiating off of him. Instead, he just whispered back to her, "I love you." He didn't care about the dark bruising around her eye, she was still gorgeous to him.

She leaned back from him and bit her lip, staring up at his face hovering over hers. There he went saying it again, and he seemed so damn happy to say it, but she couldn't. She said to Glenn after only knowing him a few weeks before. She couldn't make that mistake again. Not unless she was absolutely sure.

"I know," Maggie replied. Gabriel saw the war in her eyes, but he wasn't going to fight it today. Instead he surprised her by leaning his face down to her neck and nuzzling.

"Gabriel!" Maggie let out a slight squeal from the tickling of his facial hair against her skin.


	33. Nothing to Lose

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Thanks everyone! I'm glad you liked that Mabriel moment last chapter. I'm really interested to hear what you think of Glenn this chapter? Crazy or justified? Anyone feel bad for him or scared of him?

Special thanks to M, aSprightlySoar, Lmnop, and Beckett!

Music: The Killers – Mr. Brightside

* * *

Nothing to Lose

* * *

As much as Gabriel wanted to just hide with Maggie all day in the guard tower, they did have to get up and join the real world. They were in the midst of gathering up the blankets and pillows when Gabriel heard someone yelling his name. The Aussie exchanged a look with Maggie, she just shrugged her shoulders with an arm full of pillows.

Gabriel ducked out of the small room and onto the guard balcony. Looking around, he spotted Daryl standing in the courtyard with his crossbow over his shoulder.

"You comin'?" The redneck barely hid the smirk on his face.

"Huh?" Gabriel tiredly ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up more than it already was.

"I said, you comin'?" The redneck raise his voice, the grin starting to peek out just a little bit more.

At this point, Maggie heard him, she stepped out of the door behind Gabriel. "Ugh, ignore him," She grumbled, walking past Gabriel with the blankets and pillows in hand. At least it was just Daryl and not half the cell block razing her this time.

Gabriel looked at Maggie blankly, trying to get his rational mind functioning before assuming something else.

Daryl's small beady eyes snickered with amusement at the sleepy and disheveled state of the two. At least they bothered to get dress before showing themselves.

"You comin' for breakfast?" Daryl yelled up with an innocent tone, but still persistent smirk on his face.

Nope, screw it.

There was only way he could take that. Gabriel's expression recovered and he shook his head, barely hiding his own amusement. "Oh, no no, I was raised a gentleman," Gabriel waved his hand towards Maggie. "Ladies first."

Daryl stifled his snort behind a cough.

A sharp gasp turned Maggie around, her eyes wide with mortification. "Gabriel!" She hissed and threw one of the pillows at his head. Gabriel tried to duck out of the way, but still caught it at the side of his head.

"I meant you could down first," Gabriel pleaded, throwing his hands in surrender. As soon as he said, he cringed and shook his head. That didn't sound right either. "Wait, no. Go down the stairs first."

If looks could kill, Maggie's would have.

* * *

"Just yell if you need anything, okay?" Rick explained to Carol as they walked through cell block D. He intended to stay nearby for whatever reason. He really doubted that Glenn would do anything reckless against Carol, but they just had to be sure.

"Sure," Carol nodded, still displeased with how they were treating this whole situation. Since when did they start locking up their own group? This was Glenn, not Merle, for God's sake.

Coming around the corner, the boy in question came into sight. Carol couldn't get a good look at his face since he was sitting up on the cot with his face buried in his hands and his elbows against his knees. He didn't look up or say anything while Rick unlocked the cell door and swung it wide open for Carol.

She gave one more appreciative nod to the Sheriff before slowly stepping into the small space. She took up the short step stool on the opposite side of the cot.

Rick lingered for a moment or two, but when nothing was said he walked away to give them some space.

Carol ran her hands absently against the top of her jeans. "Hey Glenn," She said. He didn't respond, but she could tell that he was awake and alert. "How are you feeling?"

He lifted his face at that point. He gave Carol a look as if it say, "_You're kidding me, right?"_

Carol cringed more from the state of his face. She didn't bother hiding her gasp, and her no nonsense personality just pointed out, "They got you pretty good, huh?"

"Yeah," Glenn's tone was dry. He pointed towards his lower lip, which was swollen and fat. "Daryl," He declared. That wasn't as impressive or eye catching as the series of scratches down the side of his face and cheek. The first three were the most distinctive and Carol could barely make out a fourth. She had seen smaller ones on Shane's neck at the CDC. "And Maggie," He pointed out.

Carol shook her head sympathetically. She had to admit, the girl had claws.

"Why did you do it?" Carol had to ask. It wasn't like him to raise a hand against anyone really. The way his shoulders sagged with regret as soon as she said that attested to that fact.

"I didn't mean to, I swear," Glenn pleaded for what felt like the thousandth time. He regretted it the moment he realized what happened. "I wasn't thinking and she came after me," He recalled, losing her face in the flaying of limps and trying to protect his own.

"I just reacted," Glenn wrung his hands in front of him. "I never wanted to hurt her," His eyes met Carol sincerely.

Carol was silent while she considered him. She had stared in the face of a man with no sympathy or regret for his actions for years. She knew what that looked like.

And Glenn just didn't seem to be the type. "You were just defending yourself," Carol murmured, the initial sentiments about the situation she had from the beginning.

"Yes," Glenn gave an exasperated sigh, but seemed appreciative that someone was listening.

Carol nodded, but she wasn't content with that. "But you know why Maggie did that," Carol pointed out. As much as the others didn't know the nature of their relationship, they recognized the protective bout of rage from her.

Carol took Glenn's stern expression and lack of protest as understanding.

"Then what were you thinking outside the fence?" Carol wondered. How could he explain his actions out there? Even if that was just an accident, his track record wasn't looking too good for him. "What were you thinking when you left him behind at Big Spot? Or attacked him in the cafeteria?"

"I can't believe any of those are coincidental, Glenn," Carol declared calmly, her soothing voice full of accusation.

Glenn gritted his teeth and inhaled through slowly through flared nostrils. Truthfully, he was thinking things would be better for him if Gabriel was out of his way. But no one wanted to hear that.

However, this was Carol. If there was anyone that might understand how he was feeling, maybe he could reason with her.

It still aggravated him to no end. Gabriel was the prisoner when he came here and now Glenn was the one locked up like a dog.

He ran a hand over his swollen mouth before collecting himself. He leaned closer to Carol, the older woman did an exceptional job at not appearing startled from the action.

"That's_ my_ wife out there," Glenn declared, glancing out the entrance of the cell. Maggie was his wife in his eyes the moment he gave her that ring. The engagement distinction only came after Gabriel arrived. "We were going to build a life together and then _he_ came along," He hissed lowly.

"Spitting all this poison in her ear and touching her." His hands shook just thinking about it. "Now, he's fucking her," He pointed a finger towards his chest as he emphasized. "_My wife_."

"And I'm supposed to be just okay with that?" Glenn turned the question around. How could they treat him as if he was the crazy one?

"No," Carol disagreed, shaking her head in protest. "No one is expecting that," She said genuinely. They felt for the ugly situation that was developing between him and Maggie. "I understand what you're –"

"No!" Glenn denied fiercely. "No you don't. You have no idea what I'm feeling."

Carol had to bite her tongue back. For a moment, she found the flash in his eyes alarming and she had to remind herself it wasn't directed at her.

"I don't?" She urged him instead, hoping he would calm down to explain instead of getting riled up further.

"No," Glenn reaffirmed firmly. "I care more about her than I care about myself," He reiterated what he said to Daryl before. "Always have and always will, but you take her away from me… What do I have left?"

Carol grew still.

It chilled her. She heard and saw what he meant. Take away the thing most precious to him and you're left with a man that has nothing to lose.

A man with nothing to lose and a target to blame for it.

"Killing Gabriel is not the way to get her back," Carol tried to reason with him.

Glenn noticed the way she drew her shoulders back, drawing away from him physically and emotionally. No, that wouldn't exactly bring Maggie back to his arms, but it would sure get rid of Gabriel. She would get over it eventually, right?

"You do know that… right?" Carol had to press, she couldn't see the certainty in Glenn's eyes. Maggie would hate him for it, and perhaps several of the other survivors too.

Glenn inhaled deeply, curling his fingers into tight fists. He would rather wrap his hands around Gabriel's throat. The idea of Gabriel all over his wife, touching in her ways that only he should be privileged to made his stomach churn in a vicious way.

"Sure," Glenn choked out when he snapped back to reality and realized Carol was looking to him for an answer.

"Of course," He nodded at the older woman and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm just upset, you know? I'll be okay."

For a moment, he looked like the Glenn that she was familiar. But between the marks on his face and the craze in his eyes, she had to wonder.

"Good," Carol mumbled numbly.

Carol took the chance to rise to her feet and leave him to his thoughts. Her own were plaguing her forethoughts. Stepping out of the cell, she covered her mouth with one hand and stared aimlessly at the floor.

She could talk to Glenn and he did listen to her. But her mind was snagged on the fact that he didn't deny anything. He didn't deny what happened outside at the fence, at Big Spot or the cafeteria. He didn't correct her or try to tell her it wasn't what it looked like.

Rick looked up in concern at Carol and started to approach the cell. The question was obvious in his eyes and Carol shook her head.


	34. The View

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Lucian14: Thank you! I actually don't intend on getting into the military details too much because I don't have any military experience and I don't want to insult the people that do (And I'm American, not Australian). So at the moment, it's just four years – six months of which were in Afghanistan. If anyone wants to provide details or advice on what that would look like for someone of his age – I am more than open minded to it!

aSprightlySoar: Haha yeah that about sums up Glenn. AND YES! Anyone who follows my Tumblr will know how excited I got about Glenn getting sick last night. NattieB, my boy, you need to get on AMC now!

M: Thank you, girl! This chapter we got some more Mabriel lovin' going on with underline Gleggie tensions. But yes, Glenn is more of the quiet guy (and he's become a better liar since season two) so his temper will have its moments but I think he would be a little scarier than Shane too.

Music: OneRepublic – Something I Need

* * *

The View

* * *

Maggie squinted as she came out from the crosswalk between cell blocks. She had the laundry basket on her hip. It was a little awkward gathering some of the sheets from D block, but she just avoided on particular end of that building. It had been a few days since the incident at the fences and Glenn was still being kept away to cool down.

At least, that was what she was told.

Coming out into the caged walkway, Maggie squinted against the afternoon sunlight. More interestingly was the small group of females gathered. Karen and Sasha were amongst some of the younger girls closer to Maggie's age from Decatur group.

The coy smiles hidden behind those particular girls' hand caused Maggie to frown.

"What's going on?" Maggie's curiosity got the best of her.

"Oh nothing," Sasha was the one to answer her with her arms folded over her chest, leaning casually against. "Just enjoying the fine display of the male specimen on this wonderful sunny afternoon," She smirked.

Maggie cocked her head oddly at that. She stepped up closer to the girls and turned her head to see what they were looking at.

"It's a great view, isn't it?" Karen had to add, throwing a teasing grin at Maggie.

Now, she got it.

One of the rusted out basketball hoops had been rescued several months ago. Now the half court was full of most of the younger men playing a game. Maggie could understand would draw the women's attention. They divided the teams by shirts and skins. Half a dozen naked torsos glistened back at them while the ball pounded against the pavement and they called out their plays.

Maggie just shook her head. Some things never changed, even after the apocalypse. Her eyes wandered over each of the players. She smirked at a particularly tall and lanky one that tried to lay up the ball before getting blocked Tyreese.

Between plays, he looked up and noticed the group of girls in the cage. That damn smirk pulled up on his face and Maggie felt like his eyes were zeroing in on her. She rolled her eyes at him before he went back to the game.

"Hmm…" Samantha drew out in mock serious consideration. She was one of the Decatur girls and only a year or two younger than Maggie. "Tyreese or Bob?" She threw out to the women.

"Tyreese," Karen barely batted an eye before answering.

"You would say that," Sasha jibed her. Karen nudged her shoulder back against Sasha with a rueful look.

Even Maggie had to grin a little bit at that.

Maggie hung back from the women though. She didn't feel any urge to participate in the obvious gawking.

That grin was wiped clean by Samantha's next ranking.

"Gabriel or Zach?" The blonde had a Cherish grin while looking to her friend. For the life of her, Maggie couldn't remember her name.

"Mmm, Gabriel definitely," The girl answered Samantha with a nod.

Gripping the laundry basket a little tighter, Maggie didn't feel like listening to more. She disappeared into the cellblock abruptly while trying to swallow the sour taste in her throat.

* * *

"Hey Patrick, hold up for a minute," Gabriel tossed the basketball towards the awkward teen. He had to constantly push his glasses up on the bridge of his nose because of the sweat dripping down his face and soaking his shirt.

"Sure," He fumbled a little with the ball in surprise.

Gabriel jogged off the half court and towards the cell block C when he spotted Maggie coming down the steps, walking past her sister sitting with Judith and in his direction.

A grin carried lazily on his features while he crossed most of the distance between them. Maggie had her arms folded over her chest. He didn't care about her slightly sour expression. Her eye was starting to look much better. The swelling had gone down and some of the dark purple hues were fading.

"Put a shirt on before you make someone sick," Maggie snapped out at him, so well that he almost thought she was serious.

"Are you calling me unsightly?" Gabriel gasped with mock offense as he approached her.

"Maybe," Maggie quipped and he could see the corners of her mouth were fighting with herself.

"You wound me," Gabriel threw a hand over his heart, where it hurt him deeply.

Maggie had to keep her lips pressed together tightly to keep from laughing at his playfulness. Biting the inside of her cheek kept her from saying anything.

Gabriel grinned down at her and his hands reached out for her waist. Seeing the action, Maggie gasped and tried to turn away from him. "Oh, no no!" Her voice rose, especially from the two arms that wrapped around her.

"Ew!" Maggie's expression twisted up comically and she squeezed her eyes shut. She pulled her hands against her chest and they shook from Gabriel closing around her.

"You're _so_ sweaty!" She whined, sticking her tongue out a bit too. She would definitely need to shower immediately.

"But Margaret…" Gabriel jutted his lower lip out at her with a pout. His wrists locked around her waist, despite how much she was squirming and trying to lean away from him.

"No! Let me go," Maggie opened her eyes and twisted away from his pouting. Despite herself, she was grinning at his antics.

"Nope, not until you make it better," Gabriel disagreed stubbornly. It wasn't like she was trying that hard to break his grip though.

"Excuse me?" Maggie's eyes snapped back to him. Make what better?

Gabriel just smirked at her and his eyes flickered down to her lips briefly. After all, a kiss always made every boo-boo better, right? And she definitely hurt his feelings.

"No!" Maggie gasped. She turned around in the circle of his arms to face him seriously. "No, Gabriel," She hissed at him warningly. "Stop."

Confusion passed through him momentarily at her sudden seriousness. But Gabriel saw the way she wasn't really looking at him, but actually glancing over her shoulder at the people around them, particularly the group of men on the basketball court and women on the overpass walkway.

"Darling," Gabriel murmured softly. The nickname drew Maggie's attention back to him, partly because it was a pet name she was familiar with growing up but not in that accent.

"I think after the other day, everyone knows exactly how I feel about you," He declared boldly to her. And he didn't just mean the ones that gave him the quiet snickers like Daryl.

That subdued Maggie and her expression fell slowly. She wondered just how truthful that was. How many people were unsurprised to see a half-naked Gabriel with his arms around her?

The silence was enough for Gabriel to take advantage of. He leaned down to her swiftly and confidently caught her upper lip between his. Maggie's eyes closed from the proximity and thoughts be damned, she kissed him back gently. Her hands eased down to settle on top of his biceps while she marveled at the exchange of sensations between their lips.

When Gabriel finally eased back, Maggie's shoulders had relaxed and she seemed much calmer. She hadn't really noticed that his hands were just holding her by the hips now.

"Darling, really?" Maggie teased him lightly, breaking her thoughts from the urge of kissing him for more.

Gabriel gave a half shrug. "It was Cole's habit," He explained with a grin. "It might have rubbed off on me a bit."

Maggie just shook her head at him incredulously, damning every little smile and kiss that was worming into her heart.

There was a whistle and shout from behind Gabriel after that. "Gabriel! Come on!" Tyreese was shouting at him. His absence was clearly holding up the game.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder, seeing Zach was the one with two fingers in his mouth making the whistle to hurry up.

"I gotta go," He said to Maggie, his thumbs drawing light circles on her hips.

"Please, you stink," Maggie wrinkled her nose at him, failing to stifle the grin this time.

"Ouch," Gabriel muttered but leaned down swiftly to leave a chaste kiss against her cheek. Despite the blush on her cheeks, Maggie gave him a light playful shove before he let go of her and trotted off back towards the boys.

* * *

The sour feeling in her stomach was definitely gone as Maggie watched Gabriel return to the game with the boys. It was made better when her eyes wandered up to the caged walkway, not because of smirks that Karen and Sasha gave her, but the fact the Decatur girls looked like they had sucked a lemon. All of the sudden, they were very quiet.

Maybe Gabriel was right and it wasn't that big of a deal, Maggie thought for a moment. She turned to head back to the cellblock and to the laundry basket that sat inside abandoned.

However, not everyone was impressed with that little display.

Her voice stopped Maggie on the stairs just before she reached out to the door knob. "You could at least pretend you still care a little bit," Beth bit out in a bitter tone.

Maggie froze and looked back to her sister sitting on the steps, bouncing Judith lightly in her lap. "Excuse me?" Maggie only saw the profile of her disappointment expression.

"You know what I mean," Beth frowned. Maggie could at least pretend to be a little upset about the breakup before flaunting it with Gabriel so soon. It made Beth's blood boil to see her sister acting like if she hadn't been engaged and in love with Glenn not so long ago.

"I'm not saying what he did is right," Beth cut Maggie off before she could object. Her eyes flickered up to Maggie's bruised face.

"But it's been three days, have you even gone and talked to him once?" Beth challenged her. She had and she had heard how sorry Glenn was about what happened. She saw him clutching to the abandoned engagement ring and how guilty he felt about it all.

Maggie's silence was answer enough for her.

She knew she hadn't gone and talked to him. Beth figured she owed him that much.

"At least give him a chance to apologize," Beth murmured finally before turning her attention back to Judith, the baby so blissfully ignorant and everything going on around her. The worst trouble she could get into was pulling on Beth's hair and trying to put it in her mouth.

The cell block door shut heavily behind Beth with Maggie disappearing inside.


	35. Sentencing Hearing

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: I know what you mean! I'm all for team Gabriel, but I have to do the other's characters and their opinions justice.

M: I'm glad you liked that! There is a cute Mabriel moment at the end of this. More will be coming up later.

Anyway, this chapter is important – it's time Maggie figured out who she needs.

Music: The Fray – Never Say Never

* * *

Sentencing Hearing

* * *

It was still the middle of the day when she entered cell block D. Most people were out doing chores and helping out, but there were still a few people that lingered. That was fine, it wasn't like she needed the place to be empty and perhaps it was a little better that people were around, even from a distance.

Truthfully, she didn't know what she was going to say to them. It felt like her voice had gone hoarse from all the talking they had done and she had run out of things to say.

As Maggie was walking down the cell block, slowly towards the one locked cell in the building, Maggie wondered if this was the silence that Gabriel talked about. Was this the silence he faced with his family and friends when he realized he had killed his own brother and his friends? Was this the silence that remained between Lori and Rick when they had run out of things to talk about?

Maybe there was only silence after her and Glenn had run out of apologies. That was the only reason she was doing this, she told herself. Because Beth was right, she owed him at least a chance to apologize. She couldn't guarantee anything else.

"Glenn," Maggie said quietly, standing at the bars of the cell.

He was lying on his back on the cot with his forearm covering his eyes. Apparently he had gotten used to ignoring whoever was coming by to offer their sage advice or just stare at the latest spectacle.

As soon as she said his name, he pulled his arm away from his face. The surprise was evident. She was the last person he was expecting to show up at this point. He rushed to sit up and get to his feet. "Maggie?" His voice was full of hope that didn't cause Maggie's stern expression to change.

The scratch marks were starting to fade from his face, overcome with scabs. The swelling in his fat lip had gone down.

Glenn went up immediately to the bars to get a closer look. The swift action caused Maggie to take two pointed steps back, well out of arms reach.

His next words died on his lips at seeing her defensive stance. While her eyes were looking at him longingly, the rest of her wasn't exactly open arms. His hands wrapped around the bars and it hurt Maggie to see him look so desperate. He was desperate to get out of there and desperate for her.

"Maggie," He said her name again, in more of a pleading tone.

Her grip at the strap of her rifle over her shoulder tightened and she bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry," Glenn apologized sincerely. His eyes wandered down to his hands on the bars, especially the one that had been responsible for the black eye on Maggie's face.

"I never meant for it to happen. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you," He murmured, staring at those apprehensive green eyes.

Maggie could tell that he meant it too. For a moment, she reminded her of the boy that followed her around helplessly on the farm. The one that begged for her to talk to him on the way to the pharmacy. She really did care for that boy.

"I know," She said simply instead. He clearly regretted hitting her.

"You do believe me, right?" Glenn wondered. To him, he just saw a teary eyed woman with a reserved expression. He always had such a hard time trying to understand what she was thinking.

Maggie wiped away the first tears that threatened to fall. She inhaled deeply, reminding herself that she refused to cry. She nodded her head in response to Glenn.

Glenn picked up his shoulders. "Please let me out of here… We can talk about this," He tried to coax from her, seeing a chance that they could get past this after all.

But Maggie shook her head, "No."

"What?" Glenn blurted out, his cheeks pressing against the bars to lean closer to her. She still was way too far away from him to reach her.

Maggie had to take a deep breath and clear her throat before explaining, "I believe you're sorry, but that's not enough, Glenn." She wasn't going to go down that path. She wasn't going to let herself believe for even a moment that she deserved that hit or that it was okay. If she let herself believe that this time, how many times would it follow? She didn't want to end up like Carol. She had to draw the line and this was it.

"Tell me what I have to do, Maggie," He was practically begging at this point. "Tell me what I have to do to fix this," He urged.

"No!" Maggie took a step back, putting her foot down.

Maybe the bars of the locked cell provided her a sense of security in that moment, but she had to say exactly how she felt. She didn't have to worry about how he would react, because he couldn't reach her.

"There's nothing to fix, there is no going back to us," Maggie stated firmly, looking into his wounded gaze.

"What I need is… not you," Maggie's shoulders shook a little bit, but she didn't blink or flinch away from Glenn. If anything, it became apparent that he was struggling to understand. She couldn't really blame him though. How many times had she told him that she loved him and she was always with him? She did love and care for him in a way, but Maggie realized it was with the person he used to be and not in the way he still wanted.

"You were smothering me, Glenn," Maggie tried to reason with him, to get him to see her. "When was the last time I left the prison? How many runs did you tell me to stay here in the cell? We barely spoke and when we did, you did all the talking. You never listened to me."

Except for now. Maggie thought it was a shame that it took this much for Glenn to be hearing her like he was now.

"I was suffocating," Maggie said sadly. The worst part was that she didn't even realize it until someone else had come along and pointed it out to her.

Glenn's face fell and he leant his forehead against the bars, letting Maggie's words wash over him. They had a few conversations like this during the last days, but he didn't recall Maggie being this firm about it. She wasn't backing down this time.

"What you're saying is…" Glenn tried to reason it aloud, "I brought this upon myself?"

Maggie tried not to flinch from the bitterness in his tone. She sighed and reluctantly agreed with him, "Yes." It wasn't exactly the way she wanted him to listen to her, but at least it proved he was actually listening to her this time.

Glenn nodded, staring down at the floor absently. He could almost live with that. He could almost handle it just being him, because he could learn and change. He could spend whatever time it took trying to get her back.

"So you're telling me, it was just that," Glenn clarified, drawing his gaze up slowly back to Maggie.

Even though she nodded, her brows furrowed at the odd look in his eyes, like some sort of poison laced with underline anger. She didn't have to wait long to find out from what.

"And it had nothing to do with sneaking around and sleeping with Gabriel?" He accused.

He heard her this time just fine. He heard her say what she needed wasn't him, implying it was someone else. In fact, from the rumors he had heard, she didn't have to go far to find him. She didn't even wait until after they broke up either.

Maggie felt her blood run a little colder and her stomach sink.

Rationally, a part of her mind had a feeling that Carol told him. But that never quite prepares you for the feeling of someone calling you out on it. The only advantage Maggie had was the side of the bars she was standing on. She could walk away at any given point and not even grace him with a response.

And that was exactly what she did.

* * *

"I'm worried about Glenn," Carol stated in the midst of the meal preparation for that evening. It was one of the few occasions that Rick stopped by a water barrel before intending to head back out to the field and do some weeding around the corps.

"Yeah, we all are," Rick said conservatively, wiping his face clean with a towel.

"How did your talk with him go?" Rick had been meaning to ask Carol after that afternoon, but everything was pressing. He decided to linger for a bit while watching the older woman slicing up the venison from Daryl's recent hunt.

"I don't know where his head is at honestly," Carol said truthfully. She thought she made some sort of progress with him, but she was still left wondering. What he was saying, she wanted to believe. But she still had this niggling feeling in the back of her mind.

"What do you suggest then?" Rick frowned at where this was going. Honestly, he had been hoping for good news and he was trusting Carol to get a better read of the situation than him.

"Give it a few more weeks?" Carol squinted while she looked up from her work at Rick. "Just to give him a chance to think things through and come to terms with it, maybe," She said.

Rick sighed. He had a feeling she was going to say something like that as soon as he saw the frown on her face. He was torn. He hated having to lock Glenn up like this, he was one of their own. He also didn't like the idea of an able-bodied man like Glenn sitting idle in the cell. At least they had Gabriel and Tyreese back though.

But it wasn't just one punch Rick had to consider. It was one woman that got struck and no one in the prison was standing for that. No one would sleep very well at night unless they were absolutely sure it wouldn't happen again. There was also a series of accusations and building violence to add to that track record.

"Alright, two weeks," Rick declared. Maybe Glenn just needed time to sort things out and see which way was up again. "And we'll regroup to decide from there," He looked to Carol for confirmation.

The older woman nodded slowly.

* * *

"Gabriel!" Maggie called out for him as she marched into cell block C with determined and hurried steps. She discarded the rifle quickly by the ammunition cage, but went straight for the cells.

The Aussie in question was pulling a shirt down over his head, smelling of fresh soap and disheveled from a towel drying of his hair. The shower had been much needed after the games and field work with the boys.

Hearing his name, he frowned in confusion and stepped out from the cell into the hall.

"Hey…" His voice trailed off in concern at how quickly Maggie was approaching him. She looked like she had just been crying or was about to as well.

"What is it?" His voice was muffled by Maggie throwing her arms abruptly. Her hands clutched at him tightly, one going to the back of his neck and grasping at the hairs there. He felt her face against the crook of his neck.

Naturally, his hands moved around her and he held her, despite his confusion and alarm.

"What's wrong?" He whispered in her ear, almost thinking he preferred it when she was trying to shy away from his sweaty hugs than this. At least she was smiling that time.

Maggie shook her head in a way that he couldn't tell if it was a nod or a negative. He wondered what caused to her be holding onto him like a lifeline.

Her hand stroked through his hair once, not even caring that it was still damp. She inhaled deeply, letting his masculine must and soap stifle any sobs that beckoned her. "I just need _you_," She whispered, voicing the realization aloud for him.

Gabriel felt a slight shiver from her whispering against his neck and the meaning of her words. Vaguely, he nodded and just held her against him. Her shoulders eased up eventually. He could sort out what brought this on later, for now he would take for simply what it was. He focused on the sound of her breathing and the fingers that trailed absently over him. Slowly, he felt her beginning to calm down.

"I feel stronger with you," Maggie admitted to him gently. When she was like this with him, she didn't feel like everything was falling apart around her.


	36. Past Due

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

For those missing Rocky, she'll make an appearance next chapter, I promise!

Also, when you read the end of this chapter, please do not get too mad with me. I can promise you this will **NOT** go in the direction that the show did in season three or four. So keep that in mind and bear with me.

M: Carol is definitely a wild card at the moment! We have some clear players on each side – Daryl, Carl and Michonne are obviously for team Gabriel. Carol and Rick are still on the fence.

aSprightlySoar: Yeah, I feel a little bad for Glenn too. But yeah, he's going to have a hard time letting go – it's not just a middle school fling involved here.

Lmnop: I'm glad you like those Mabriel moments! I couldn't help but throw another one in here.

Thank you for the awesome reviews, guys, keep them coming! And just one more reminder, don't hate or judge too quickly for this chapter! Please!

Music: Panic at the Disco – I Write Sins Not Tragedies

* * *

Past Due

* * *

"Come on, get up already," Maggie groaned, giving Gabriel's shoulders a shove. For five minutes she stepped out the cell to get changed. Now she was dressed ready to go and he was still face down on the cot. The blankets were bunched down around his waist from when she got up and left. He still didn't even have a shirt on.

His face was buried in the pillow, leaving only a ruffled head of brown locks. Somewhere from within that pillow came a indistinguishable groan and shake against the linen.

"Seriously?" Maggie deadpanned quirked an eyebrow at him with her hands on her hips. It had been his bright idea to get up early. Weren't military men supposed to be early risers? He looked like a stubborn college boy refusing to see sunshine before noon.

Another groan came from the pillow, this time with less movement.

Maggie figured it sounded like he was about to nod off again. She would have to do it the hard way. Her hands yanked at the blankets pulling them off from the rest of his frame. His legs squirmed in irritation at the sudden exposure. She couldn't decide if she was disappointed he had boxers on or not.

"There's got to be some species of Australian slug named after you," Maggie huffed out at her lack of success to even get him to show his face.

A hand yanked out from the pillow he was clutching, it swatted towards Maggie at the insult. It completely missed and flopped down at the side instead tiredly.

A little bit hairy, lanky, useless and borderline pathetic – Yep, definitely a slug.

"I give up," Maggie threw her hands in the air. She turned on her heel to leave. She didn't see the arm snake up to catch her around the hips.

"Gabriel!" Maggie shrieked, being pulled down onto the bed. She crashed in a tangle of limps from the sneak attack. Maggie squirmed and felt to arms lock around her waist when she finally ended up on her side facing him.

She couldn't help the smile on her face, from his stubbornness and the way he nuzzled into her neck. Maggie scrunched her shoulders up and tried to pull away from the tingling sensation.

Gabriel finally revealed his face when he pulled back to grin at her, a rather lazy and bleary eyed one.

"Hi," He smirked at her, acting as if she hadn't been trying to wake him for the past ten minutes.

"Oh, he does speak!" Maggie gasped in surprise, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders.

"Har har," Gabriel muttered sarcastically at her attitude, his eyes dropped down from hers to her lips and he leant in for what he sought for.

Despite her annoying, Maggie grinned against his lips before kissing him in return. She felt that flutter in her chest and curl in her toes every time she kissed him. She didn't want to admit, but the mornings after she spent the night in his cell were one of her favorite parts of the day.

Especially as little by little they were growing more comfortable and open with each other. And by comfortable, Maggie meant her hands running through his hair while her tongue danced against his. He wasn't exactly making it easy for her to restrain herself from repeating the library either.

She wanted to, but there were too many things that weighed on her mind in the last ten days. Every time it caused Maggie to ease back from the kiss, regardless of Gabriel's hands moving on her hips and burning her flesh under her shirt.

"I take it you're getting up now?" Maggie teased lightly. She could feel Gabriel shifting around on the cot. She was probably close to getting trapped and not going anywhere for a while.

Gabriel pursed his lips thoughtfully, he leant back and glanced down between them. "Getting there," He assessed.

Maggie's eyes widened at his crass. "Pig!" She smacked his shoulder. She could feel the heat rushing to her face, made worse by his smirk.

"I thought it was slug?" He taunted, leaning back in for another chaste kiss. He supposed that was an upgrade.

"More like swine with that morning breathe," Maggie corrected, amusement at the corners of her mouth. She gave a firm shove to his shoulders to push him back against the mattress and let her get up. Gabriel's back hit the cot with a grin while he rubbed the weariness out of his face.

When Maggie stood up, his face belatedly scrunched up at what she said. Maggie smirked over her shoulder at him exhaling into his hand and wrinkling his nose. "It's not that bad…" His lower lip almost stuck out in a pout.

"Is it?" He looked up and Maggie was already gone.

* * *

The last ten days had its ups and downs. The contrast seemed to be getting stronger and stronger each day too. Maggie enjoyed the moments she spent alone with Gabriel, which was mostly the nights that she decided to wander into his cell with the exception of one night he took it upon himself to preemptively drag her.

The others were getting used to seeing them hanging around each other. But what Beth said to Maggie struck her. She was a little reluctant to be openly affectionate with Gabriel in any physical way while Glenn was still locked up and her father so clearly disapproved of the whole situation.

In spite of everything, there was still the underline tension and anxiety in the prison. Mostly from the day to day trials the group faced, but for Maggie, the anxiety about Glenn. She heard Rick and Carol talking about releasing him on a conditional status, but she didn't really know what that meant. She didn't live in the type of world anymore where you could break up with someone, change your number and be done with it.

The anxiety got even worse in the last few days. Even though Maggie was being shy, she didn't let it her stop from taking Michonne's lunch table spot in her absence.

"Hey," Gabriel broke Maggie out of her thoughts. He leant to his side and gave her shoulder a slight nudge.

"You doing okay?" He asked gently, seeing the way Maggie was picking at her food.

"Yeah," Maggie nodded quickly and gave him a small grin. "Hanging in there," She didn't elaborate any further than that because anything more would have felt like lying.

Maggie swallowed a bite while she felt Gabriel studying her.

He had noticed how quiet she had been the past few days. More quiet than her normal sullen demeanor around Glenn. His eyes flickered over face. The bruise had faded, but that didn't mean the damage was gone. He wondered if that was the only source of it.

"You'll tell me… whatever it is when you're ready, right?" Gabriel urged, keeping his voice low between them. Carl was on the other side of the table slipping some of his powdered eggs to Rocky anyway.

Maggie stopped and really looked up at Gabriel. The grin felt a little more genuine on her lips at his concern. "I will," She promised. She reached over with her other hand under the table and gave his knee an appreciative squeeze.

She would, once she figured it out.

* * *

"Sasha!" Maggie called out to the African woman in the hallway after lunch. She noticed she was one of the first ones out of the cafeteria and Maggie had to mutter a quick excusal to catch up with her. She caught her just stepping outside the cell block.

"Hey," Sasha half turned to Maggie as she walked, slowing down a little bit for the brunette. "You joining me at the fences?" She asked.

"Sure," Maggie agreed, having heard some of the conversation in the cafeteria, but that wasn't what she wanted.

"Could I ask you something?" Maggie held up a hand up to her eyes, squinting from the sun.

"Shoot, girl," Sasha shrugged her shoulders, admittedly a little curious.

"Will you go on a supply run with me?" Maggie asked, first making sure no one was around to hear them.

"Okay," Sasha agreed easily enough. She had never turned on down before. "But we just went to Big Spot not too long ago, what do you need?"

Maybe they could go back there if Gabriel missed something. He probably cleared out most of the walkers so the shelves were just sitting there, ready to be picked.

Maggie hesitated, feeling her stomach knot uncomfortably. She reached out to touch Sasha on the arm and stop her from walking. "I'm late," Maggie murmured quickly.

"What?" Sasha scrunched her face up in confusion. Late for what? The walkers at the fence weren't going anywhere. Her brows furrowed at Maggie's jittery appearance.

"I'm _late,"_ Maggie stressed between her teeth. "You know, past due." Her eyes flickered meaningfully down to the hand over her stomach.

Sasha's eyes widened and her face fell for a moment, like if there was an audio delay between her ears and her brain. "Oh my – _shit_, Maggie!" She struggled to keep her voice down, she took a step back from Maggie..

"I know, I know!" Maggie bit her lip, touching both Sasha's arms to keep her there. "I shouldn't have said anything, but I honestly don't know who else I can tell that won't freak out more than I already am," Maggie rushed out all in one breath, so much Sasha had trouble keeping up.

"No – damnit," Sasha shook her head, trying to recover with a hand to her forehead. "Yeah, sure. How late?" She asked, trying to focus on the facts and not the emotional reaction.

"Three days," Maggie answered quickly and took a glance around to make sure no one heard Sasha's outburst.

Sasha blinked and cocked her head. "Well, that's early," She pointed out hopefully. It could still be too soon for it to be anything, right? "When was the last time you… uh?" Her teeth showed a little with her cringe, not sure how else to ask how far long she was without being blunt.

That was in Maggie grew really silent and her eyes went to the ground.

Sasha turned her head a little, opening and closing her mouth while trying to figure out what that meant. Maggie had been together from the beginning with… "Oh my god," Sasha's jaw fell open. She didn't remember the last time she was reduced to a gasping teenager, but she didn't really know what else to say. "It's not Glenn's," Sasha voiced. And given the latest change in Maggie's relationship status, she didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Maggie gave a slight shake of her head, that was one thing she was sure about.

"Fuck!" Sasha blurted out bluntly, unable to help it.

"I know!" Maggie gave a low whine, she clenched her eyes shut briefly and rubbed them. If it was this bad just telling Sasha, who knows how bad it would be telling her family, Gabriel, or even Glenn.

"Shit!" Sasha went on, shaking her head. She had only just heard the stories about what happened with Lori.

"I know," Maggie stressed and then moved her fingers to her lips. At this point, she was starting to worry not about people hearing Sasha, but seeing her reaction too.

"Okay, okay," Sasha muttered quickly, snapping out of it and trying to take a deep breath. She stepped up closer to Maggie, trying to get her attention to focus. "Hey, you're still early, right?"

She waited for Maggie to nod, "You're stressed out, it could be late just from that."

"Stressed out?" Maggie repeated numbly, almost as if it was a mythical joke at this point. "Yeah, or I could be stressed out because I'm fucking pregnant," She snapped out in a fierce whisper.

Maggie held her hands out in the air as soon as she saw Sasha's eyebrows rise. "I'm sorry," Maggie forced herself to take a deep breath. She didn't mean to take it out on her.

Sasha took the crazy moment with a grain of salt. You had to survive around here anyway. Instead, she reached out to Maggie's hands and squeezed them reassuringly, speaking her best coaxing voice, "It's okay… We're going to figure something out, okay?"


	37. Planned Parenthood

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

So I only lost one follower last chapter… hopefully I won't lose anymore. Like I said before, do not assume this is going to the same route of the show – for either season three or season four.

Anyone who's read my fics before know I like my twists. The main arc of this twist is in the next chapter, which may be longer than normal to accommodate it.

Gannicus: We'll see if it plays out that way. Their relationship will become more open, but just keep in mind it's only been a little over two weeks since Maggie broke up with Glenn.

M: Yeah, definitely a little stressful right now. ;) And here's a little more angst, just because we love it so much.

Please leave a review and don't give up on me! Next chapter Maggie makes her decision.

* * *

Planned Parenthood

* * *

Maggie found Gabriel up on the guard tower for his watch shift. He was coming around the corner on the balcony when he saw her.

"Hey," She greeted him softly, stopping short with her arms folded over her chest.

Gabriel picked up his head and nodded towards her and the distance between them now they were outside. He didn't say anything right way either because he could see something was clearly troubling her. He didn't have to wait long to find out what.

"I'm going out on a supply run," Maggie announced.

"Oh," Gabriel mumbled in surprise. Okay, that was not what he was expecting. "When?"

"Today," Maggie replied and bit the inside of her cheek at Gabriel's confused look.

He glanced towards the horizon. It was kind of late in the day for supply runs. The others had suggested waiting until the morning to leave like they usually did, but needless to say, Maggie was a little firm about finding out sooner instead of later.

"We'll be back tonight," Maggie tried to fill in the question she saw in his eyes. He nodded a little in response.

"I didn't know one was going out today," He said honestly and then offered, "I could go with you if you want?" He didn't say that because he didn't think she could look after herself, god knows she can, but just to pull his weight around here like he told Rick.

"Oh, no," Maggie said quickly, shaking her head. "Sasha, Doctor S and Jennifer are going," She rattled off the names. Jennifer was one of the Decatur survivors that agreed to come at Doctor S's recommendation.

"Oh," Gabriel nodded, still looking a little uncertain. That sounded a little light on the manpower, but it sounded like a quick run that was just going to be get in and get out.

"Alright," Gabriel said, not really sure what else to say about it. Maggie was biting back any words on her lip. Some day he would get her to cut that anxious habit out.

It was emphasized even more by the silence between them.

Gabriel could almost measure the distance too. A good two and a half feet, he would say. Two and a half feet more than there were the nights he wrapped her arms around her behind the privacy sheet in his cell.

"Well, anyway," Maggie cleared her throat, unable to wait out the silence any more. "I just thought you wanted to know."

"Margaret," Gabriel murmured her name softly, causing her gaze to lift up from the floor. He figured out what she was really doing. He gave a casual shrug of his shoulders, "You don't need my permission to go."

Maybe she was used to clearing it with her father, boyfriend or fiancé, but not this time. No matter how intimate they had been so far, at the end of the day he wasn't anything of those things. They were just two strangers discovering each other.

That fact seemed blaringly obvious to Maggie in that moment, seeing Gabriel standing there with that tight lipped reserved expression and his hands in his pockets.

"Right," Maggie muttered shyly. Maybe old habits were harder to kick than she realized. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear and turned to leave.

Gabriel sighed and decided to take those two steps. One, two and a third step for the one she took away from him before his hand reached out to her upper arm. She turned back in his direction at his grasp. His other hand caught her cheek before her lips caught hers.

Her fingers knotted against his shirt, not pushing him away but pulling him closer.

"Just be careful, okay?" He broke away from her lips with a whisper. He stroked his thumb just along the round of her cheek.

Maggie didn't bit her lip this time as she nodded up to him. A small grin lingered there while she stepped away and left him on the balcony. Gabriel remained on watch and leant his forearms against the railings when he saw Maggie walking away below.

He didn't say it, but he was proud of her. Obviously she came up here looking for some sort of approval, but she told him she was going – she didn't ask if she _could_ go.

* * *

Gabriel was up on the guard tower when the supply run left. At first, he almost didn't even realize it was a supply run. He didn't see when the four figures just piled into the green Tucson, but he saw Rick opening the inner gate into the exercise field for the SUV. That was odd. Normally there was a send off and everything for people going on supply runs.

Gabriel frowned while he watched the Sheriff walk down with the vehicle to the main gate. He remained at the balcony while Rick and Carl opened the front gate before the SUV disappeared down the gravel road into the wilderness. He was left wondering why the others didn't bother saying goodbye to the rest. Did they already inside?

"I know you didn't want to say anything," Sasha spoke up from the driver's seat with Maggie sitting in the passenger seat. The brunette was just about biting her thumb nail down to the cuticle.

"But I had to tell someone on the Council," Sasha explained to Maggie. There's no way anyone would notice the four of them disappearing, even if it was only supposed to be for a few hours.

"It's okay," Maggie nodded, she got it. At least it was Rick that Sasha told. According to the African woman, he agreed to not tell anyone until they found out a definitive answer. But Maggie had a feeling that conversation didn't go smoothly or as plainly as Sasha was putting it.

"You're going to be okay," Sasha tried to reassure her, reaching out to give her shoulder a squeeze. "Whatever we find out, there are options," She said.

Maggie personally didn't like the sound of that word. _Options._ It made it sound impersonal, like if she was she picking out a new car or something.

"Jennifer?" Maggie sought to change the subject instead.

The blonde turned her aimlessly staring from out the window to Maggie. She didn't look all that much older than Maggie and truthfully she was a little dubiously about how she could help. "Sasha said you were a doctor?" Maggie wondered. She hadn't gotten that much of a chance to know the Decatur people, but she was surprised to hear that. Someone with knowledge like that didn't exactly sit around idle at the prison.

"Well, no…" The blonde tucked her frizzy locks, which likely had been straightened daily at some time, behind her ear. "I was studying to be," She corrected.

Oh great, Maggie thought bitterly. She would have better luck reading an instruction manual to an airplane and trying to fly one. She might have a better survival rate with that too.

"What kind of medicine?" Maggie tried to remain polite.

"Gynecology," Jennifer chirped out with a grin.

Maggie's mouth hung open a little bit and Doctor S was smirking at her transparent thoughts. Okay, maybe her chances weren't so bad and Maggie had to work on judging books by their covers.

* * *

Honestly, telling yourself it wouldn't bother you when the time came was a lot easier than not letting it bother you when the actual time came. Gabriel felt like he was pacing around the fences for the thousandth time. The sun was only just setting in the horizon too.

Many questions ran through his mind. How many miles away were they going? Did they get there already? Could they be on their way back by now? Did they run into a herd? Or even a couple of walkers? Were those doctors with their soft hands strong enough? What were the doctors doing in the first place going? That was a bit risky sending them to go. Admittedly, he didn't know how many people knew about Jennifer's area of preference or study. He honestly wasn't surprised either to hear that she agreed to go with Sasha and Maggie. It wasn't Doctor S's company she was interested, he was willing to bet.

Gabriel emerged from the fences and into the exercise field. He really needed to take his mind off of Maggie.

He could hear Rocky barking in the field and chasing after a stick thrown in the air. Gabriel found the culprit to be Carl. He hung back for a few moments, watching Rocky come by with the salvia covered piece of wood.

He smirked at Carl trying to tug it out of Rocky's mouth, receiving only the shake of the mutt's head and a grabbled noise from her throat.

"You got to let her drop it first," Gabriel instructed Carl. Yeah, good luck wrestling with the jaws of a pit-bull, kid.

The younger Grimes frowned at that but followed the order. Carl placed his hands on his hips and waited before Rocky finally dropped the stick at his feet. She sat back on her hunches and her ears twitched eagerly, waiting for the next round.

Carl snorted and shook her head. He bent down and grabbed the stick before sending Rocky off on another round.

"Hey Gabriel," Carl cleared his throat thoughtfully. "Can I ask you something and you won't tell my Dad?"

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at that. "That depends on two things," He smirked a little bit.

"What's that?" Carl wondered.

"Is it illegal? If so, are you going to share it with me?" Gabriel teased the younger boy.

Carl snorted and shook his head, "Nah."

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. "In that case, it's probably not interesting enough to even tell your Dad," He shot Carl a wink.

The boy gave a nod. It pained Gabriel a little in that moment. It made him miss his family, but he had to staunch that thought as quickly as it came.

"What's Planned Parenthood?" Carl blurted out.

"What?" Gabriel nearly coughed and choked on his own tongue. He turned to look at Carl, wondering if he was trying to be cheeky.

"Planned Parenthood," Carl repeated with a blank look at Gabriel.

"It's uh…" Gabriel stuttered while trying to figure out why he was asking. Was it too late to take back his stipulation? Was Carl even old enough to know about things like that? "It's uh…"

Carl gave Gabriel an odd look. What the hell was his problem?

"It was…" Gabriel rubbed at the scruff of his chin, trying to think of any response. "A gathering place for religious fanatics and irresponsible teenagers."

Gabriel nodded to his own words. Let's go with that.

"Huh," Carl clucked out, clearly just as confused.

"Where did you hear that?" Gabriel asked sharply. He would have preferred if Carl asked him about comic books, like he normally did.

Carl shrugged his shoulders. "I heard Doctor S mention it when they were looking at maps in the library," He said truthfully. That was why he couldn't ask his father, because then he would have to admit to eavesdropping on the conversation when it was supposed to be a private meeting.

Carl walked away, not realizing he left Gabriel wondering with a sick sense of worry about who they were going to Planned Parenthood for. Was it getting supplies for someone back in the prison? Or was it for Sasha or Maggie?


	38. Five Year Plan

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Wow! So close to 100 reviews, it would be really awesome to hit that mark with this chapter! Thank you guys so much!

Deputy Beckett: Welcome back! I thought that song seemed really fitting given Maggie's previous relationship with Glenn. I think this chapter will answer most of your questions.

M: Yep! That's why I liked that moment, we're seeing a little character growth in Maggie and her becoming more dependent. This chapter highlights that as well.

aSprightlySoar: It would be really ugly and probably cliché to go that route, which is exactly why I'm not doing. I think everyone might be pleasantly surprised with the route I did select to go. I personally think it's realistic and relatable – especially from my own experience.

My inner history major nerded out a bit with this chapter title. Anyway, the reason I built up the past few chapters is because this chapter is how I wished the show handled the pregnancy scare. It bothered me to no end they implied Glenn and Maggie were just playing Russian roulette every month. I understand this chapter covers a controversial topic and people will have varying viewpoints – please just keep in mind this is fanfiction and not meant to be of personal offense to anyone. I'll stop rambling though and just let you read.

Music: Cary Brothers – If You Were Here

* * *

Five Year Plan

* * *

Sasha peered through the blinds of the building. It was still light out, which gave them a little light through filtering through to aid their flashlights. "It's still clear," Sasha reported back to the others. "But I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to," She said sincerely.

They got lucky that there was only one decomposing receptionist when they got there. But Maggie attributed that to the nature of the clinic. It wasn't the type that advertised with large signs. Even before everything went to hell, the average person could probably drive by one every day and not realize what it was.

That was probably the one reason it hadn't been hit by looters yet, Maggie figured.

"I found them!" Jennifer announced, peeking her head up from some drawers and such behind the counters.

Maggie nearly groaned at the young blonde. She was nice, but her enthusiasm was a little grating on her nerves. Either way, she couldn't deny any help she getting. Jennifer came out from the doctor's area of the lobby and offered out one of the items from the bundle in her hands.

Maggie glanced down to her hands. "Really?" Maggie snagged the one before taking several more from Jennifer's other hand.

As if she was only going to take one test.

"There's a bathroom over there," Jennifer just grinned instead, pointing out the room off the lobby. Maggie knew already, she had helped them clear the building of any walkers. "There's no running water though."

"Right," Maggie muttered, feeling the three pairs of eyes on her. Now it was up to her. She grabbed one of the flashlights and headed for the small confined area.

Just when she thought her life couldn't hit a new low, it blew right past that, reducing her to taking a urine test in a dark room with a flashlight and three strangers standing outside able to hear everything she was doing.

* * *

Twenty painstaking minutes went by. Maggie could have come out of the bathroom during that time, but she really just wanted to be left alone. Occasionally, she heard Doctor S through the door asking if she was okay.

He just got a muffled affirmative each time. Sasha glanced through the windows frequently, with it being a quick and small run, it didn't look like they gathered any attention.

The lock clicked and the door knob turned. Doctor S stood up a little straight from leaning back against the wall. Three pairs of eyes went to the door as Maggie emerged.

Maggie sought out Sasha immediately. The African woman stiffened at her expression. She had obviously been crying and her face was twisted in such a way that she couldn't tell if it was a smile or a grimace. Maggie clutched the tests in her hand while she crossed the room to Sasha. Before she could say anything, the brunette through her arms around her.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Sasha murmured immediately, feeling her gut twist with sympathy for Maggie. She couldn't distinguish what the shake of her shoulders and strained noise that Maggie made meant.

Instead, Sasha pried the tests from Maggie's hand while the girl still held onto her. She had to take them one by one. "Wow," Sasha couldn't help but blurt out, "That is a lot of pee-pregnancy tests," She corrected herself.

Then felt her eyes growing wide with each one she passed through, "That are all…"

Maggie pulled back from Sasha to look at her that time. "Negative," She finished for her and Sasha could see the grimace was actually a relieved smile.

* * *

The relief was evident throughout the small group, even in the doctors, simply from the fact they wouldn't have to explore any drastic measures today. They were talking about heading back to the prison, but Maggie couldn't do that just yet.

"I can't keep doing this guys," She blurted aloud from her seat in the waiting area. Maggie needed a few minutes to sit down and calm herself, to let it all sink in.

"What do you mean?" Sasha asked, a little worried about what exactly she was referring to.

"I can't do this every month," Maggie sighed and waved a hand around her. This type of stress would drive her insane. The stress was literally what caused it to be late in the first place and the lateness in turn caused even more stress. Maggie realized all it took was one slip up too. She and Glenn had been admittedly a little reckless in the past too.

"I don't know what to do," Maggie murmured her fears aloud, glancing around to the doctors as well. "Just one mistake is all it takes… and I can't depend on pills that we might not always be able to find or will run out some day," Maggie admitted her fear. Everything they used had an expiration date too.

A subdued silence fell over the other three. The way their gazes dropped and they shifted on their feet fed into Maggie's fear. That wasn't any good solution in this situation.

But it was Jennifer that surprised her. She picked up her head and glanced back towards the patient area of the building. "I think I might know of an option," She said. It was risky and a little dangerous, but no technology or medicine was really involved.

Maggie cocked her head at that word. This time it didn't sound as unappealing to her.

* * *

Gabriel hung around the cafeteria after the dinner serving. He wasn't really interested in retiring for the evening. He tried to take another watch shift, but Carol insisted that he took a break. It left him playing cards with Zach, and teaching Patrick how to play. Admittedly, he was anxious about the others and when they would get back. Based on the attitudes of the other survivors, most of them didn't even realize they were gone. He knew it was just a few hours, but it felt longer than that.

They were interrupted up from the game when Gabriel spotted Sasha tiredly walking into the cafeteria, seeking out whatever leftovers there were.

"You're back," Gabriel blurted out, causing the woman to stop and notice him.

"Yeah," She flashed him a tired smile and nodded.

"Is everyone…?" Gabriel wondered, ignoring the two confused boys.

"They're fine… And Maggie's lying down," Sasha threw her thumb over her shoulder back towards the cell, adding the last part with a smirk for Gabriel's benefit.

That was all he needed to hear. Without saying anything, he put his hand of cards down and made his way towards the cells. Vaguely behind him, he heard Zach asking Sasha where they had gone.

* * *

There was one of two cells that Gabriel could find her in. The first one he checked, he didn't find her. "Margaret?" He called out and found her in the second one. She was lying on her side with her backside to him.

He sighed in relief at the sight of her and stepped inside. "Hey," She said back to him in a small and hoarse voice. His relief was short lived when he saw her face looking over her shoulder at him.

"What's wrong? What happened?" He blurted out immediately, sinking to a seat at the edge of the bed.

Maggie shook her head. "I'm fine," She denied.

"Bullshit," Gabriel snapped out, two fingers caught Maggie's chin to get a better look at her. "You don't look fine," He observed. Her complexion seemed unusually pale and he could see the emotional strain in her eyes. Was she sick?

"No, really. I'm okay now," Maggie insisted, although finding his concern endearing.

"_Now_?" Gabriel repeated dubiously. Was she not fine before? He wasn't convinced she was fine now, but she was also stubborn like him. "Who did you go to Planned Parenthood for?"

"How did you know?" Maggie's eyes widen, lifting her head off the pillow. How had he figured that out so quickly?

"Carl overheard you guys planning the run," Gabriel explained quickly and dismissed it. That wasn't his point. "Who did you go for?" He insisted.

"Me," Maggie murmured quietly, sinking back against the mattress. "I was late."

Those four words caused Gabriel's blood to run cold. He didn't even feel the hand resting on Maggie's hip. It felt like his limps had gone numb while he stared at Maggie. She didn't seem to be kidding around or anything either.

"You mean… from when…" Gabriel stuttered on his own words. Oh god, he felt like such an idiot.

The thought hadn't even occurred to him then. He had been acting on impulse.

A stupid selfish impulse he now realized.

"Hey," Maggie's voice reminded him of reality. "It's okay," She placed her hand over his on her hip. She wondered which one of them was going to pass out first with how pale Gabriel was getting.

"What… are you…?" Gabriel didn't even know where to begin or how she was so calm about it.

"I'm not pregnant," Maggie said quickly.

"You're not?" Gabriel gasped out in a rushed breath of relief.

He waited for Maggie to shake her head in confirmation before he held his forehead with his hand. His shoulders sagged, feeling like it was okay to take a deep breath again.

Maggie couldn't really fault him for his reaction, she hadn't been much better. "I had an IUD put in," Maggie explained, which was what accounted for the extreme discomfort she was in right now. In a normal world, it should have taken about twenty minutes and been rather straight forward, but at least she had Jennifer and Doctor S there.

Gabriel picked his head up, frowning in confusion to add to his overwhelmed nerves. "An IUD?" He repeated, "What does that do?" He wasn't sure what it was, but he had a feeling it was probably something that shouldn't be confused for an I_E_D.

"I can't have kids while it's in," Maggie pulled her hand off of Gabriel's, she picked at her own nails anxiously while she explained it.

Gabriel blinked, trying to understand. "For how long?" He wondered.

"Five years," Maggie muttered, looking down at her hands. "Or until it's taken out," She added on the afterthought.

Damn, Gabriel had to bite back his initial reaction. That was a long time. But he was still a little confused about it.

"How does that work?" He asked. His masculine instinct didn't really want to know, but his rational mind was curious and he wanted to be supportive. It was confusing wanting to bury his head in the sand and wanting to make sure she was okay.

"You don't want to know," Maggie shook her head. "Let's just say I spent the better part of an hour in excruciating pain with my feet in stirrups and a small dinner party between my legs." Needless to say, it wasn't her most dignified moment. She didn't even like it when Jennifer gave a full explanation with hand gestures that caused her to squirm just at the thought of it.

Gabriel couldn't help but making a face at that visual. "And… you're okay now?" He wondered, she still seemed to be in some sort of pain.

Maggie nodded, glancing blankly to the wall in front of her. "I'll be okay, once my body gets used to it," She explained curtly. Jennifer said the cramping over the first few weeks would be the worst.

"What about _you_?" Gabriel asked more meaningfully. Yes, he was concerned about the physical, but it was more than just that.

Her eyes flicked up towards Gabriel at that. He was leaning over her, trying to get a better look at her face. "I don't know," She mumbled honestly. "I can't help but wonder if I made the right decision…"

"Why?" Gabriel frowned, not liking the idea of her being rushed to anything, but also not understanding what she meant.

Maggie sighed and turned her shoulders towards him a little bit. "I kept thinking… I could have had it if I was, you know?" She said, Gabriel didn't react so she went on. "I'm safe here. I don't have to be afraid of being alive. I don't have to be afraid of it happening. I could build a life here… no matter who it's with."

The silence from Gabriel was heavy. She could practically see that he was still trying to wrap his head around the whole discussion. She waited anxiously while he processed yet.

"Let me ask you something…" Gabriel murmured finally in a tone that she didn't quite understand.

"How is rushing to have a baby any different from not having one at all because you're afraid there might not be a tomorrow?"

Maggie startled. That was a different perspective she hadn't considered. She began to push herself up on her elbows to protest but Gabriel held a hand up.

"Let me finish," He urged and Maggie had to bite her tongue back.

"If it wasn't for those walkers outside that fence, do you really think we would even be having this discussion?" Gabriel threw another question for thought at her. "I don't think you're that type of girl… Your sister maybe," He smirked a little bit at the afterthought, "But not you."

Despite herself, Maggie snorted a little. Honestly, did anyone see the way Beth was always looking after Judith?

"Then what type of girl am I?" Maggie wasn't sure if she should be insulted by what he was implying.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. "The type that wouldn't let any careless boy hold her back. You seem like the type that would have a baby when you damn well decided and no sooner than that," He grinned at her. He took the chance to tuck some hair behind her ear. He saw a little color return to her cheeks.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with waiting five years," Gabriel went on, just letting his words wash over Maggie. "Because having it any sooner than that would be letting this world change you… that's why I'm honestly not ready to be a father either," He admitted.

"With or without the walkers, I'm just not there yet and I don't think you are either," He said bluntly, he could see that Maggie was a little taken back by his harshness, but she was listening. "Rushing to have a baby or getting married, _that'_s living in fear of the walkers."

"And I refuse to do it," Gabriel declared. "I'm going to live and love on my terms," He whispered. In a normal world, he would court Maggie and wait before getting married or even talking about children. That was exactly what he intended to do, as best as they could now.

"I just want you to now I'm proud of the decision you made today, too," Gabriel figured he might as well just lay it all out there while she was listening. "I know it's not my choice to make," He added on quickly, recognizing it was her body.

"I'm only sorry you had to do it alone," He said finally, running her thumb along her cheek. It looked like she was about to cry again and Gabriel hoped it wasn't because of what he said. He was honestly scared shitless from the whole idea and he had Maggie talking him through it, never mind her dealing with it on her own.

Maggie was stunned speechless. Even if she knew what to say, the words wouldn't have made it past the lump in her throat. She just nodded to him and reached her hand out to his holding him up over her on the mattress, placing it over his and giving it a squeeze.

Gabriel stared down at her, lost in his thoughts for a while. She seemed to be in the same state. Finally, he broke away and leant down to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked, hearing him kicking off his shoes.

"Well, for one… You're in my cell," He couldn't help but smirk as he pointed out. He was wondering how long it would be before her stuff showed up in here too at this rate. "Scoot over," He nodded towards the mattress.

Maggie obliged and hid the embarrassed grin in her pillow.

"More importantly," Gabriel sighed as he eased his body down on his side behind her. "I can't guarantee I'll be here tomorrow," He whispered gently while settling his arm around her and pulling her back against his chest.

He took a moment to tuck the hair off her shoulder and behind her ear before whispering finally, "But I'm here today and I'm not going anywhere."


	39. Alone

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

So here's a sweet little bonding chapter, Mabriel and Carol/Hershel goodness.

Crispy Beckett: Yeah, it's not a pleasant experience – but absolutely worth it in the long run. If you want to know more, feel free to PM me. And Estonia? Wow that's awesome! Thank you!

aSprightlySoar: Thank you! Right? I thought it seemed so OOC for Maggie to suddenly be on the baby train.

M: The tomorrow comment was speaking metaphorically. Gabriel is just saying he might not always survive to have a future with Maggie, but he intends to be there for her while he is around. So that's a pretty heavy thing for him to say, but we all know where Gabriel stands with Maggie.

The next couple of chapters – he's going to start pushing her in a way to see where she stands him with. ;)

I'm thinking next chapter Gabriel is going to have a man to man chat with Hershel.

For now, we got her recovery and the group assimilating the idea of their relationship.

* * *

Alone

* * *

Maggie let out a deep breath, relaxing into the covers and feeling a little better with the warmth around her. While she had no urge to move her lower body, she did move her hand down the forearm on her waist against the grain of the coarse hair. She felt Gabriel shifted his head on the pillow behind her. Maggie laced her fingers through his.

For a while, she just stared down at their hands. It was different than the one she had been holding for the better part of a year, but this one felt comfortable. She liked it. Her fingers dug into his tighter as a new wave of pain and discomfort hit her.

"You okay?" Gabriel asked, seeing her shoulders stiffen and hearing the sharp inhale.

"Mhm," Maggie nodded quickly, pressing her lips together.

"When was the last time you had some ibuprofen?" Gabriel wondered, noticing her wincing had gotten worse.

"Before I left the clinic," Maggie sighed out, trying to relax again.

"I'll go find some," Gabriel blurted out immediately. There was no point in her just taking it if the pain could be helped. He started to push himself up on his side.

"No!" Maggie tightened her grip on his arm like a vice. "You. Stay," She gritted out immediately, refusing to give up the soothing warmth – even if that meant him being her personal heating pad for a while.

"Ooo-kay," Gabriel had a hard time arguing with that one. Under normal circumstances, he might have found it adorable. He sank back down against the pillows. Maggie's grip on his arm eased up when it was clear he wasn't going anywhere.

Gabriel pulled his face closer to her shoulder, pressing his lips against her skin while he thought. "You know, the others will find out about that run," He murmured. It was becoming abundantly clear there were no keeping secrets in this prison.

"I know, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to tell them," Maggie whispered back to him. She had been most worried about telling her sister and her father.

"My personal vote goes to the truth this time," Gabriel said, recalling how it was when he first arrived. He'd rather not go through that again. "At least, I think it's better than letting them assume the alternatives," He added on. The clinic did have a certain reputation attached to it.

Maggie nodded to let him know that she heard him while she thought.

"Knock knock!" A chipper voice interrupted the quiet of Gabriel's cell.

Gabriel rolled his shoulders from Margaret to look at whom it was, the Greene woman turned over on her side as well.

"Pill delivery for Maggie!" Jennifer announced, leaning against the bars and jingling the yellow canister in the air.

Maggie almost groaned. Say it a little louder, why don't you? "What is that?" She asked instead, she didn't request anything.

"Just a little something to take the edge off. Take it every four to six hours," Jennifer tossed the bottle in Maggie's direction and she reached out to catch it, hearing the pills jostling in the container. "I know the first week is the worst, but that's all I can give. Can't have you getting dependent or anything," Jennifer waved a nonchalant begrudgingly hand in the air.

"Thanks," Maggie mumbled. At first she had been reluctant at the idea of using up valuable medicine, but given her condition, she was starting to reconsider.

"Whoa, wait a minute," Gabriel perked up. Immediately he snatched the bottle away from Maggie, wondering what could have the risk of developing a developing a dependency in less than a week. "_Vicodin_?!" Gabriel looked up to Jennifer after reading the label with some person's name he didn't recognize. "Where did you get this?"

"Zach. From his 'frat boy stash'," Jennifer used air quotes on the term and rolled her eyes. She'd almost rather not know where he got it from.

"Wait, you told Zach?" Maggie wasn't as concerned about the medicine as that. "What did you tell him?"

Jennifer just shrugged her shoulders, unconcerned by Maggie's alarm. "Nothing, just that you're having_ massive_ cramping…" She cocked her head at them, "He kind of made a face like Gabriel is."

Maggie looked to Gabriel. The Aussie turned to her, sobering his expression. "I'm not making a face," He muttered quickly.

"Really," Maggie said dryly. She reached around him for the pill bottle.

Except Gabriel pulled it further out of her reach. "Oh no, you don't," He shook his head.

"Seriously, Gabriel?" Maggie was starting to get rather irritable and he was dangling her relief in the air.

"Yeah, if you react any way that I did on this stuff when I had my wisdom teeth taken out. You'll take one, forget you did twenty minutes later and before you know it you don't which way is up," Gabriel remembered being laid up on the couch more from the medicine than the procedure. It was the type of thing she needed someone to make sure she took this on schedule and not too much.

"I can take care of myself," Maggie huffed out, trying to reach a little further, by this point she was practically leaning her whole body over him.

"I know you can, darling," Gabriel's tone dropped into something softer and it drew her eyes back to him. "But this time you don't have to."

Maggie stopped reaching towards the pills, the face hovering close to hers was more important. Especially since it caused her insides to flutter from his radiating care and concern. "Alright," Maggie sighed softly, dropping her hand but not backing away from him.

* * *

Carol decided to take a detour from filling up the water buckets when she spotted Hershel sitting on one of the picnic table benches. The old man was staring down intently at the cucumbers that he was slicing up.

"How are you holding up?" Carol asked, setting the bucket down on the bench before taking a seat across from Hershel.

"I'd be better if my hands moved like they used to," The old man grumbled out without looking up from the vegetables in front of him.

Carol lips quirked upwards briefly. "I meant with Maggie," She said. "I saw you talking with her and Gabriel earlier." It wasn't that long ago that Maggie sat where Carol was and Gabriel was next to her. Carol's curiosity itched at her with seeing the serious expressions on their faces and Maggie's hand clutching to Gabriel's on the table top.

"I can't say I'm exactly thrilled about the situation," Hershel declared. As a father and a man with a more conservative upbringing that was one of the hardest discussions he had with his daughter in a long time. "But I'm taking it in stride," He added on with a glint in his eye.

Carol gave a small grin, simply because of how it sounded it hear that phrase from a man with one leg.

"So her and Gabriel… are they…" Carol's voice trailed, wanting to know but at the same time unsure how to ask.

"I don't know," Hershel stated bluntly. "But there is one thing I'm certain of."

"What's that?" Carol cocked her head oddly at Hershel.

"She's stubborn that girl is," Hershel gave a faint grin, "A lot like her father, I suppose you could say. And change is one of the scariest things."

"Sure," Carol murmured, recalling how hard it had been for Hershel to accept what walkers really are.

"When the girls were little they shared a bedroom, couldn't separate those two at night. I remember how much trouble it had been when they finally got their own rooms. All those nights, I still heard giggling and whispering because they always ended up in their old room. It took a long time to break that habit," Hershel explained, remembering the fond farmhouse that he would likely never see again.

Carol remained in subdued silence. One thing she knew was that Hershel always had a point to his stories.

"Even then on the bad nights, she always had to be around someone. Sometimes I wonder if that's why she left the farm…" Because there wasn't enough people around for her. Maybe the silence of the land was too oppressive to her.

"As a father, I'd rather not know who was with her when she went to college. But coming back was hard on her," Hershel knew it, even if Maggie never came out and said it. "And then the world changed… For a while she had Glenn."

"Of course," Carol murmured, starting to get lost at this point. "But what does that have to do with Gabriel?"

Hershel shrugged and shook his head. "I'm still figuring that part out," He said.

He could see Carol open her mouth in confusion, so he went on to explain. "When we came to this prison, Maggie wasn't alone and hadn't been for a long time." Not just emotionally, but literally as well. "My point is, that first night when she moved out of Glenn's cell, I didn't sleep… I was awake and I waited, because I knew it was only a matter of time before my little girl was looking for someone to stay with her." No matter how old she got, some things never changed.

"The only part that surprised me was her choice," Hershel had expected it to be Beth or someone else from their group.

"Gabriel," Carol realized thoughtfully. She didn't know that Maggie hadn't slept in her cell that first night.

Hershel nodded once and set the blade aside to look at Carol in the eyes. "There are times I don't recognize the woman she's growing into or pretend to understand what she's thinking, but I still know when she's my little girl," He said. "The same one that is just afraid of being alone."

"Aren't we all?" Carol countered rhetorically. She supposed everyone was in the prison at the end of the day.


	40. Moral Standards

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

M: I'm kind of leaving the first conversation between the three of them up to the imaginations of the readers.

Mac N Cheese Beckett: Yeah they're tolerating it. ;D These couple of chapters are the quiet before the storm. I've personally never been outside North America, so that's neat to hear from people from around the world. Thank you so much! PS. I love that song you recommended, I'll definitely note it for later. (It's got a Glenn or Governor vibe to it, no?)

aSprightlySoar: Yeah, I didn't explain myself very well last chapter. The whole point Hershel was trying to make was that he didn't believe it was only a sexual relationship for Maggie with Gabriel – there must be something underline that the others don't quite understand yet. And most other forms of control have an expiration date on it or are unreliable.

Anyway, thanks guys! Enjoy this chapter. I got a little tear eyed writing it while listening to this song. O:

Music: Howie Day – The Longest Day

* * *

Moral Standards

* * *

"Margaret," Gabriel's voice cut warningly across the exercise field towards the woman in question. Maggie was leaning against her shovel, taking a break in from the ground breaking. That part didn't alarm him. It was only earlier in the day that Rick and Hershel were talking turning more ground to plant more crops to accommodate for the increasing number of people at the prison. Naturally, Gabriel volunteered to help. He couldn't in good conscious sit back and watch Hershel do the work. Maggie offered to help as well.

It was hard work and he felt the sweat running down his face in no time. Of course they stopped to take breaks, but Gabriel was worried about the way Maggie leant over and a hand clutched at her abdomen. The wince across her expression spoke for her.

"I'm fine," She snapped out immediately, waving a hand dismissively.

Gabriel sighed, thinking more like fine and stubborn. "I'm sure you are," He said, biting back to the urge to throw her over his shoulder. "Only_ you_ know when you're about to pass out and need to lie down," He reminded her in a meaningful tone.

"Yeah, heard you the first ten times," Maggie grumbled at him and picked the shovel up, jabbing it defiantly into the ground.

"Just saying," Gabriel threw his hands in the air innocently. "I'd really rather not have to carry you into the cell block," He threw on cheekily, but also partly serious.

"I'm fine," Maggie snapped out one more time.

Gabriel shot her a rueful look. The pale expression and her lethargic pace spoke otherwise. He knew the pain came and went unexpectedly, but it was clearly one of those times.

"Great, now that we've established Maggie is fine," A third voice spoke up from the area of dirt being overturned. "Will you two stop leaving all the work to me?"

Gabriel picked his head up, glaring at Zach. The Aussie exchanged a look with Maggie.

A moment later a shovelful of dirt went flying, followed by another from Maggie. Zach tried to shy away from the spray of earth.

"Hey! There are rocks in there," He whined, earning zero sympathy from Maggie or Gabriel.

* * *

It was about fifteen minutes later that Maggie stopped shoveling again. Gabriel didn't know that she was practically counting the time as it ticked by. She waited, stubbornly, to make it seem less like she changed her mind suddenly. Because she refused to admit that Gabriel had a point, of course. She waited until Gabriel had let it go, which didn't take as long as she expected. Maybe that was because with Glenn, he wouldn't have let it go at all.

Maggie jabbed the shovel into the ground finally. She stood up and wiped her forearm against her forehead. "You know," She huffed out, causing Gabriel to stop what he was doing look at her. "I'm fine," She said quickly at the concern on his face.

"But, I think I'll go be fine in the shade…" Maggie threw a thumb over her shoulder towards the cell block.

She expected a cocky grin or smirk, or maybe an even 'I told you so' type of comment from Gabriel. Instead, he just gave a solemn nod and said, "Alright, be careful."

Gabriel watched her walk up the gravel road towards the prison buildings. Mentally, he decided to check in on her after their work was finished. She seemed to be doing better since that first day back from the clinic. She didn't express any more doubts about the decision she made. He wondered how much of his words she took to heart. He was just grateful that she wasn't being withdrawn anymore.

It was early afternoon when Hershel came hobbling down the walking path. He stopped and looked at all the progress the boys made. "Why don't you two take a break?" He suggested. "I think you've done enough." Looking at the fresh dirt, there would be plenty to plant some seed in later.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" The sweat drenched Zach spoke up happily, throwing the shovel over his shoulder and booking it for the cell block with the showers in mind. Zach muttered about the bickering of the other two along the way.

Gabriel shook his head at him with amusement, but hung around. He brushed his hands off hesitantly and watched Hershel kneel down at the ground, examining the soil. He had no idea what he was looking for, he wasn't exactly raised a farmer.

"Sir," Gabriel cleared his throat, approaching him respectfully. "May we talk?"

The older man looked up at him wearily and nodded, he brushed the dirt away from his pants as he stood up uneasily.

"I know we talked the other day," Gabriel recalled sitting down with Maggie to tell him the real reason why she had to go to the clinic. "But I just wanted to apologize to you personally," Gabriel said sincerely, from one man to another.

"For what exactly?" Hershel cocked his head at Gabriel, able to think of many things the youth should consider apologizing for.

"Being reckless and putting her in that position," Gabriel admitted bluntly with the shrug of his shoulders. "I wasn't thinking that day, I know that's not a good excuse for being irresponsible, but I can promise you that it won't happen again."

"That day?" Hershel repeatedly dubiously. The way Gabriel spoke, it was a one-time mistake and not the ongoing affair that was whispered about throughout the prison.

Gabriel just swallowed and nodded his head. "Yeah, it was impulsive, I know. I was just caught up in everything that was going on and Maggie was upset over the breakup…" Gabriel's voice trailed off, realizing that he was probably rambling in more detail than Hershel would likely want to know.

Hershel held a hand up. "I got your point," He cut Gabriel off, sensing a young man intimidated by the father when he saw one. He had been down this road before with Glenn.

"No, actually," Gabriel protested, his expression sobering up with determination. "That's not my point."

"I just want you to know that I won't be making that mistake again with Margaret," Gabriel declared boldly, raising his chin and looking the man in the eye. "I intend on being there and looking out for her as long as she'll have me," He said.

He took a deep breath, pausing his words before adding on uncertainly, "And I know you don't have the best of opinion of me, but to someday have your approval would mean a lot to me… and to her, I believe."

Hershel pulled his head back a little, taken back by the boldness of Gabriel's request. He wasn't the type of young man that would nod along to anything he said, apparently. "I must confess," Hershel responded in a reserved tone, "I have my doubts about the honor of a man who gets involved with martial affairs."

Gabriel clenched his jaw and gave a slow, sharp inhale. That one stung and it wasn't exactly undeserved.

The Aussie looked away from Hershel towards the woods, the same ones that he had found Maggie in that day. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "With all due respect, sir," Gabriel said carefully. "I didn't wake up one morning and decide I wanted to break up a marriage." Truthfully, it wasn't a situation he ever thought he would find himself in. He doubted anyone believed they would. But he couldn't ignore the fact he did have a large part to play in it. That was just the way things happened.

"When I first saw her, and spoke to her…" Gabriel's voice trailed while thinking of those first days, struggling to articulate what drew him to her. "I just had to know her. I just had to find out," He looked back to Hershel, seeing if the old man understood what he meant. His beady eyes were watching Gabriel with apprehension but intrigue as well.

"Your daughter is magnificent," Gabriel complimented sincerely, but also hoped Hershel couldn't see just how nervous he was. "She's amazing," Gabriel grinned, thinking about her. He thought about saying just how he felt about her, but that might make the father even more defensive.

The grin faded a little when he thought about his intentions and everything that happened. "And I just couldn't sit back and do nothing," He admitted one of his darker moral moments. "I couldn't watch her settle for someone who was so clearly wrong for her." At the end of the day, Hershel was right though. It wasn't his business to get involved with, but he was selfish.

"And you think you're right for her?" Hershel countered sharply, thinking the young man had quite the guts to make such an insinuation.

"No," Gabriel denied without blinking an eye.

It caused a pregnant pause between them that Gabriel took advantage of. The nervousness in his shoulders lifted with inspiration as he thought about it.

"But isn't that point of finding the one?" Gabriel wondered aloud to Hershel. "I mean, the one that makes you want to be_ better_ for her." He couldn't help but look down at the ring on Hershel's hand. Gabriel wondered if his late wife made him want to be a better man.

The subdued silence from Hershel told Gabriel that he wasn't going to hear that story.

Gabriel shifted his attitude, thinking about the revelation that just occurred to him. "I've made my mistakes," He said, nodding his head distantly and thinking of the things that brought him to this point in his life. "And God, do I have my regrets," He murmured. His little brother and his family deserved better. "I have so many of those."

"But Margaret isn't going to be one of them," Gabriel declared stubbornly. This one he wasn't going to mess up. Not this time.

"She'll always deserve more," He said finally, feeling sure of himself. At this point, it didn't matter if Hershel did approve because he was putting it out there anyway. "But it won't be because I didn't try to give her more."

Hershel's gaze dropped to the ground while he thought about the Aussie. Gabriel just waited, clenching his jaw anxious and refusing to look away. He wasn't won over easily with one conversation, actions and time would have to speak for that. Although, he did have to admit these words were powerful ones. His fatherly instincts bristled unnervingly at Gabriel's implication of what Maggie meant to him.

"Son, you have guts," He pointed out frankly. "I will give you that." He recalled the first conversations he had with Glenn, the Asian boy looked like he was about to wet his pants if Hershel looked at him the wrong way.

Gabriel just gave a respectful nod.

"And you have more hope than most people around here do," Hershel observed, the lines in his forehead easing up a little. It was nice to hear someone not obsessing over surviving but inspired by matters of the young heart. A positive outlook was refreshing to the bleak one Maggie was with before. Gabriel was the type that wouldn't bat an eye to pick up a shovel and contribute his part. He already had done more than enough with the fence fortifications and the supply run. How he responded to the fight and took care of Maggie gave hope that he would put her first before his emotions.

"I hope you mean what you said and you hold onto that conviction," Hershel said. He moved to step around Gabriel and head back to the cellblock. As he did, he placed a hand on the young man's shoulder, giving it a pat and a squeeze before continuing on.

Gabriel felt like the little force could knock him over with how anxious he was. He let out a deep sigh.

Hershel hadn't exactly said if he accepted his apology or his declaration. At the same time, he didn't tell him to stay away from his daughter. He wasn't being chased by a shotgun. He didn't leave him with any threats, if anything, a little bit of optimism. That was practically a blessing, right?


	41. Faded College Sweatshirts

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

This chapter is a little longer than normal, but once you read it, I think you'll understand why. ;) And I highly recommend listening to this song during the last scene.

M: Yep! Gabriel is making it clear exactly how it feels and now this chapter he is looking for Maggie to give a little bit.

Martinez Beckett: What do you mean by 'medium of your blessing'? And I meant metaphorically with that comment, Glenn is going to be out of isolation soon and there might be some slight foreshadowing with the Governor. That song is going to come up sooner than you think. :D

aSprightlySoar: Thank you! Andyeah, that's the best approval Gabriel can get from Hershel at the moment. The whole marriage thing goes back to perception – at least from what I understand – once Maggie put on the ring, everyone just kinda sees them as being married (They talked about that a little on The Talking Dead), so I was thinking the engagement distinction was only recent with Gabriel's arrival and not widely known (Eg. Carol's reaction to it). Hershel being so pro-Glenn would be along with the rest of the prison as seeing them as married. But yeah, Gabriel is making major progress from those days.

Music: Snow Patrol – Just Say Yes

* * *

Faded College Sweatshirts

* * *

Maggie tried to picture what it would be like with two of them. Her thumb ran over the glossy surface of the photograph with curiosity. She cocked her head slightly as she lay on her stomach in Gabriel's cell. She tried imagine how amusing and chaotic would have been to have two Gabriel's running around. It seemed surreal that was someone who looked so much alike him, but apparently was more boyish and impulsive than Gabriel was.

"Do you have any more pictures?" Maggie asked, looking up from the two brothers in uniform to the remaining one pulling a fresh shirt over his head. Gabriel was moving a lot more freely with his shoulder recovering, except for today he was tired from all the field work.

"Uh… not here," Gabriel answered her, turning around from changing for the night. He flopped down on what space she left on the cot. "I think there's some with the other stuff I left at my tent," He vaguely recalled. It seemed so long ago now.

"Tent? You were camped out near here?" Maggie lifted herself up on her side with her elbow.

Gabriel nodded simply, leaning back against the pillows.

"Why didn't you bring it?" Maggie wondered.

"Yeah, I didn't exactly have time to pack my belongings before Tyreese jumped me, remember?" Gabriel smirked at her.

"Oh yeah," Maggie dropped her gaze back towards the picture of Cole and Gabriel. "You should go back for it though. I bet Daryl would go with you," She suggested instead. She wondered about Cole and Gabriel's family, just anything about his old life.

"You think so?" Gabriel mused over it, running a hand against his chin. It wasn't a bad idea actually.

"Yeah, Daryl goes out all the time for hunting," Maggie knew he took any chance to get away from the cooped up feeling of the prison walls.

"Alright, maybe I'll ask him tomorrow," Gabriel stretched out on the cot. Maggie took it as the cue to head to bed. While she enjoyed the nights she spent in his cell, she didn't want to make it a daily habit. She sat up on the bed edge.

"Just let me know before you go, okay?" She requested and Gabriel nodded. Maggie leant down to him to steal a chaste kiss before slipping out of the cell. He was left grinning after her.

* * *

It was a little bit before noon when Gabriel came back from the run outside fences. Per Maggie's suggestion, it was easy to seek out Daryl. The redneck took them through the tombs and out the fences into the woods. It took about two hours to find the campsite again, but it was about forty-five minutes when it was a straight shot back to the prison after that. The only reason Gabriel and Daryl got back before noon was because of how early the redneck always got up.

Gabriel came into the recess area of the cell block with the large green duffel bag and Daryl helped carry some of the tent materials behind them. They brought it all back, figuring Gabriel could sift through what was worth keeping. Either way, not all of it would fit in his cell at the moment.

That was how the stuff ended up spread out on one of the tables. Most everyone left him to it, but he did get a few curious glances. Jennifer was the first bold one to say something. "What's all this?" The blonde asked picking at the first pile of clothes while Gabriel was rifling through the pages of a textbook.

"All I could grab from my dorm room when I fled campus," Gabriel explained simply, leaving out the part where he had to pick it up again from the group campsite after the Governor gunned them down.

Jennifer held an old sweatshirt up in her hands. "New York, huh?" The blonde grinned at the college name written across the front.

Gabriel only gave a half mumble of acknowledgment while he pulled out a few photographs he had tucked between pages. Several moments went by, he didn't really pay attention to what Jennifer was doing.

"How do I look?" She struck a pose with her hands on her hips at him. Gabriel looked up from the book and made a face. He didn't see Maggie coming out from the cellblock with a water bucket in hand.

* * *

Maggie had an empty water bucket in hand. She gave a short sigh, walking from the hallway that led to the washrooms. It looked like one of the barrels needed to be topped off a bit. She halted when she came around the corner and saw Gabriel had returned.

At first she smiled broadly, but then it froze on her expression with confusion. Clearly he had gotten his belongings back, including the one that Jennifer was now wearing. It looked like an old college sweatshirt that was rather baggy on her small frame. It hung past her shorts and the name across her chest happened to be the same university that Gabriel was studying abroad at.

Yeah, it had to be his and Maggie frowned at the cheery expression on Jennifer's face.

Gabriel hesitated with a sheepish pause. It was suggestive on one hand, but silly as well because the sleeves hung well past her wrists.

"You hesitate. It's the color, isn't it?" Jennifer teased with a mock serious look. She held out the hem of the shirt, "It must be this… faded-questionably-stained-green color."

"Hey," Gabriel protested ruefully, setting the book down and approaching her around the table. "There's nothing questionable about those stains…"

"Really?" Jennifer challenged with a smirk and held out the first and largest one.

"Yeah, that one is a battle wound. Spilled bleach from my first week abroad, trying to do my own laundry," Gabriel explained, stepping in front of Jennifer.

She was biting back the laugh while the two was ignorant of Maggie watching. The brunette thought about saying something, but chose to just hang back and see what happened, despite the uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

"Uh-huh, and what about this one?" Jennifer held out a blotchy brown stain on the right sleeve to Gabriel.

Gabriel cocked his head and furrowed his brows at that one. "Well…" He drew out slowly, wrinkling his nose slightly.

Jennifer let out a giggle. "See! You don't know," She jumped on him tauntingly.

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck and gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Alright, fine, I forget what _that_ one is from…" He confessed.

Gabriel looked up at the sound of boots cutting through the room. His attention perked up immediately at seeing Maggie carrying the bucket, even if her steps were brisk and determined. "Margaret!" He grinned at her. "I found those pictures we were talking about it," He half turned to the table, but noticed she didn't stop moving.

"If you want to see them…" His voice trailed off.

"No, I'm good," Maggie snapped out in a dry and blunt tone without turning to look at him.

Gabriel was left staring at her backside in confusion while she disappeared outside. Where had the sudden subtle hostility come from? He didn't even bother to turn around and see the blonde trying to pull the sweater over her head, just drowning in the fabric instead.

* * *

Maggie banged the water barrel at little more aggressively than perhaps she should have. It shouldn't have bothered her, right? But it did, that frustrated her more than anything. Of course the water only just began to pour out the spout into the bucket when she heard the exterior door open again.

"Margaret?" Gabriel called out to her, seeing the Greene woman hunched over the blue jug. "I thought you wanted to see those…" He threw a thumb back towards inside. It was her idea in the first place, after all.

"Nope," Maggie popped the 'p' without looking up at him. "I'm sure Jennifer would though," She added on.

Almost as soon as she said it, Maggie wanted to cringe and smack her forehead. Make it a little more obvious, insecure subconscious. No, the perky skinny blonde in the oversized sweatshirt like she was doing a walk of shame didn't bother you at all.

"Wait, Jennifer?" Gabriel repeated in confusion. It dawned on him, a little slower than maybe it should have. "You think her… and I were…"

Maggie rose up on her feet and gave him an agitated glare. "Oh don't patronize me, Gabriel," She snapped at him. She wasn't completely irrational for that, right? "I'm not blind."

Gabriel wasn't sure whether to be amused by the situation or worried about the potential trouble he was getting himself into.

"Yeah… I don't think I'm really her type," He said carefully, digging his hands into his pockets.

"Oh please," Maggie scoffed and rolled her eyes. Like any woman in the prison wouldn't make a move on him if given the opportunity. She moved onto the next water barrel to finish topping off the bucket.

"You might be though," Gabriel flashed a cheeky smirk. He couldn't help but adding on even firmer, "In fact, I'm almost positive you are."

Maggie stopped in her steps and slowly set the bucket down. At first, she thought he was joking. She turned to face him, this time more suspicious than hostile. "Are you saying she…" Maggie wasn't quite sure if she heard him correctly.

"Plays for the other team?" Gabriel finished for her, unable to help the amused broad grin. "Yeah." He knew about Jennifer's preference, but clearly Maggie didn't.

"Oh," was the first one that Maggie gave in numb acknowledgment.

"_Oh_," was the second one Maggie mumbled a few seconds later as the meaning really began to sink in.

The last one was pure mortification and Gabriel was a little confused about it. "Oh _god_," Maggie's mouth hung open, staring at the ground blindly.

"What? What is it?" Gabriel stepped a little closer to her, leaving about three steps between them.

A hand went to her forehead. "I just realized…" Maggie opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to explain it. "She stole home plate and I didn't even know we were playing baseball!"

Gabriel frowned thoughtfully, thinking he got a little lost on the analogy at that point until he remembered Maggie was probably talking about the clinic.

"Oh, is that weird?!" Maggie took the hand from her forehead and waved a bit in panic. "Like is that normal for that kind of doctor?" She looked to Gabriel for a rational answer.

"What? No, that's not weird," Gabriel blurted out immediately, simply to keep her calm. Wait, was it normal? He honestly had never given it thought before… And that was a line of thought that could be seriously distracting.

Gabriel literally shook his head to get rid of that and stay focused. "Hold up," He gestured with his hands as he spoke, "Can we just back up and talk about the part where you were seething jealous of her?"

The infamous 'j' word caused Maggie's shoulders to straight immediately and her expression to tighten. "I wasn't jealous," She denied immediately.

Gabriel turned his head a little suspiciously. "No? Not even a little bit?" He wasn't convinced.

Maggie stubbornly shook her head, no way was she going to give him the satisfaction of knowing the truth about that. "Nope," She remained adamant and made a point of folding her arms over her chest confidently.

Gabriel nodded faintly, falling into a staring contest of sorts with her. They both were waiting to see who would crack first. It took quite a bit for Gabriel to remain casual and indifferent about it.

"Okay… So it wouldn't bother you at all then if I started hanging out with the other women?" Gabriel threw out there, seeing Maggie trying not to react to his words. His eyes rolled up in pondering and he rattled on in a noncommittal tone, "I mean, I spend so much time with you, it's almost a little rude of me to ignore them." He threw a mock finger against his chin as the so-called idea came to him, "Like maybe, Sasha… She's pretty and has quite the sharp tongue, who knows – _See_, there's that look again."

Gabriel smirked with pointed a finger towards the lethal and sour glare in Maggie's eyes. The same one he saw a glimpse of just inside a moment ago.

"You're an ass," Maggie bit out right away, still holding her arms defensively against her chest.

Gabriel just half shrugged, the confident smirk not deterred in the slightest. It was that damn smirk that got under Maggie's skin so much. "Donkey is certainly an upgrade from swine," He teased and took one step closer to Maggie. Two more to go.

Maggie looked away from his knowing gaze that made her feel like she couldn't hide. "Fine, I was jealous," She huffed out, not sure if she was more irritated with herself or him. "So what?"

"So then do something about it," He suggested and took another step forward. Just one more left between them. Maggie didn't say anything, she was looking away from him. His voice dropped a little lower, "Maybe you're not the only one that feels that way."

He saw the confliction show in the twitches of Maggie's face. Her eyes wandered slowly back to him. "What are you suggesting?" She asked slowly and carefully, trying to stifle the way her heart was pounding a little heavier in her chest. Her hands eased up from her forearms.

"No more hiding," Gabriel said honestly. "No more holding back," He took that last step away from between them. He wanted to be able to hold and kiss her whenever he wanted, no matter who was watching. He didn't want to hang back. He made it clear how he felt, but he needed a little bit from her too. He quite frankly wanted her to be _his_.

Maggie opened her mouth, but there was a lump in her throat. Her hands fell slowly to her sides. "Gabriel…" She warned cautiously and hesitated, "I_ just_ broke up with Glenn." She reminded him, it was so soon. Was she ready for anything more? Should she even consider it?

"Margaret, I'm not asking you to marry me," He reminded her. He planned to take his time on that and everything that came with it, but this one simple matter he was absolutely sure of. Despite her apprehension, he felt bold enough to reach up to her face and tuck some hair behind her ear. "I'm asking you to be mine," He whispered.

"Your girlfriend?" Maggie clarified, looking him in the eyes this time. She felt her hands shaking a little bit and her cheeks glowing red from the fingers brushing against them. The whole idea seemed beautifully simple and _normal._ That wasn't something she had in a long time.

"Only if you say yes," Gabriel responded with a smirk and moved his other hand down to her waist. He didn't know how to describe how he knew, but he could tell she was easing up with him. He felt confident with the hands that fell over his forearms and the emerald eyes that moved down to his lips.

The thought of commitment to anything was frightening to her, but it was harder to remember why when he was that close to her and treated her with such adoration. It was harder to resist with the hands the pulled her closer to his body and he consumed her vision and senses.

Well, Maggie figured she had never been good with controlling her impulses before now anyway. She tilted her head up towards him and met his lips in the middle. She felt the faint smirk on them before they loosened to kiss her in return. Her hands moved up to snake and hook around the back of his neck.

She forgot why she was mad at him as they communicated in the simple and intimate touches; the ones on their lips, their hands exploring the other, and the warmth of his body against hers. When Gabriel felt the need to breathe again, he broke from her lips with a lingering whisper. "So… is that maybe?" He couldn't help teasing.

"Shut up and kiss me," Maggie demanded before pulling him by the back of the neck down to her. The realization that he wanted her and _only_ her spurred Maggie on even further. She couldn't deny being jealous and she couldn't deny she wanted him too.


	42. Live With It

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: Yeah it's fun to write jealous Maggie, because I think we all are like that from some time to another. She knows she's doing it and can't help it.

Lmnop: Thank you so much! It definitely is a challenge sometimes to write and accommodate all the different personalities and instead of just showing everything through Maggie's POV or Gabriel's POV.

Vaccinated Beckett: Oh I see now! Too bad Axel isn't alive anymore, it would be funny to see what he thinks of Jennifer.

M: Yep, it's Mabriel official and I think you'll like how Maggie makes that obvious this chapter. :D

Thank you guys! Keep up the lovely support, I love reading the reviews. It motivates me to write more. Oh and kudos to Beckett song choice this chapter!

Music: Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know

* * *

Live With It

* * *

"I know this whole arrangement isn't exactly ideal," Carol was saying when she stepped out from cell block D with Glenn behind her. She glanced down to his hands and belt. There was a very distinct lack of gun or knife. Apparently Rick and Hershel had decided that it was best that Glenn wasn't allowed to carry any weapons for a while.

Glenn just nodded shortly, he had been quiet ever since Carol got permission to let him out of the cell. He followed after Carol out into the courtyard between the cell blocks.

"It must be nice to get out again though, right?" Carol tried to look on the bright side of things.

Glenn couldn't deny that. "Yeah," He said vaguely and curtly. He held a hand up to his eyes as he squinted into the sunlight. It had been two weeks since he was allowed outside of the cinderblock walls. It felt good to be up and stretching his legs beyond the confined space he was limited to. Carol offered to join him to get something to eat, but he saw it for what it was – a protective escort.

His eyes wandered over the outside setting, becoming reacquainted with it. He could partially see some of the changes made to the exercise field and some people going about the daily chores. What caught his attention was a rather affectionate couple by the water barrels. She had a bucket abandoned by her feet and her fingers weaved through his hair.

Glenn's expression fell slowly and into something darker when he saw her tilted her head and recognized it to be Maggie. Of course it was Gabriel with his arms around her, pulling her body flush against his in such a way that only Glenn should be allowed to do. Glenn's right hand curled into a tight fist while he remained frozen, watching them kiss as if there wouldn't be another one.

Gabriel pulled back from Maggie and whispered something that caused her to smile. They were much too far away for Glenn to hear what it was, even if they were speaking at a normal level. He barely heard the voice a few feet away that was saying his name.

"Glenn," Carol repeated for the second time a little more forcefully.

"What?" Glenn snapped out of it, the eerie calm of his mind. Not many thoughts ran through his head when he watched the two, he just felt the seething hot emotion in his veins. The kind of emotion that caused his fingers to twitch with the urge to wrap around something lethally.

"Are you okay?" Carol asked suspiciously, seeing the way Glenn mentally checked out for a moment there. She was a little worried about the steadfast glare.

"Yeah, fine," Glenn said quickly, throwing on a casual grin. He got rid of the shake in his hands by clapping them together and taking a few steps to catch up with Carol.

"Just starving, you know?" Glenn deflected from himself, looking away from the couple in the distance and moving with Carol towards cell block C, in the direction of the cafeteria.

"Sure," Carol murmured faintly. She wasn't entirely convinced that was the only cause behind his behavior. Little did she know, Glenn wasn't just talking about starving for food.

* * *

Daryl was feeling pretty confident with the catch from the traps. He picked off a few squirrels while he was out there, which he knew none of the children would ever touch, but it was more for him. From the traps, he got a few rabbits and a raccoon. He had them slung on a piece of rope across his shoulders when he came back into the prison that afternoon.

He noticed the chestnut horse out in its pen area, picking at the hay bay with its tail swishing in the air to keep away flies. Not too far away from that area was a series of tree trunks laid on the ground. Zach was over by them, lashing up a couple in preparation for them to be moved and used as reinforcing supports for the fence posts.

Daryl walked up to the see the knots he was tying, mostly to make sure the youth wasn't messing them up.

"Hey!" Zach greeted the redneck, pausing in his work. "How did it go?" He tried to eye up the carcasses.

"Not too bad," Daryl grunted out, not one to be boastful. He then nodded towards the other end of the trunk. "Wasn't Glenn supposed to be helping you?"

"Oh yeah," Zach muttered, rubbing a hand against his sweaty forehead. "He was for a bit," He added on.

"Where did he go?" Daryl asked, his tone taking a sharpness that Zach wasn't expecting.

"I don't know, he wandered off not too long ago," Zach waved a hand vaguely towards the prison. He was a little busy to pay attention to exactly when he disappeared.

Daryl let out a loud swear that visibly startled Zach. "Dumbass!" He went on, "You were supposed to keep an eye on him." Daryl was one of the ones most suspicious of Glenn being left to his own devices.

Zach only sputtered a weak excuse that Daryl had no time to listen to.

"Take care of these," Daryl swung the rope from his waist and tossed it in Zach's direction. He fumbled with it and made a face when he realized he caught a fist full of dead raccoon fur in his hands.

"But what am I…" Zach's voice trailed off when he only saw the backside of the redneck sprinting up the gravel road towards the prison.

* * *

Maggie sighed as she lifted the canister with one hand, swishing the contents around and estimating how much was left in it. She was mostly through all of them and there wasn't nearly as much as they could use. The remaining vehicles were parked in the garage unit with the overhead door left open. Personally, she didn't think it was such a good idea for Michonne to take off with that military convoy truck and the gasoline that Rick gave her.

Why didn't she take the horse? Maggie wondered, normally she did. But then again, Michonne had been gone for a while too. Maybe she was going too far for a horse? Either way, taking inventory of the gasoline was a boring task.

Maggie jotted down on the clipboard in her hands how much gasoline there was and the canister number before taking a moment to stretch her legs from crouch. When she turned around, Maggie gave a startled gasp.

"Jesus Christ, Glenn!" Maggie just about shrieked, clutching the clipboard over her chest to calm her erratic heartbeat.

She hadn't even heard him coming up behind her. He just gave her a tight lipped grin that Maggie didn't like and didn't say anything. He cocked his head at her, studying her closely.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked quickly, trying to get over her initial internal reaction of how unnerving his arrival was and wondering why he was here by himself.

Glenn just gave a vague shrug of his shoulders and chose not to answer that question. "It's been two weeks, you know," He pointed out in a flat tone. "More than two weeks, actually, and not once have you talked to me." That was a cold, cold thing to do after everything they've been through.

"I've been busy," Maggie clipped out shortly and held the clipboard a little tighter in her hands. She didn't like this. She couldn't figure out quite what was triggering her defensive instincts. Maggie took a side step towards the overhead door of the garage.

"What, with Gabriel?" Glenn bit out bitterly, jumping on her words.

Maggie's mouth fell open with offense. She wanted to slap him for that accusation and the implication of his tone. But at the same time, she remembered what happened the last time she slapped him. She restrained herself this time.

"Yeah, I guess that answers my question," Glenn commented casually with a bitter nod, thinking of his other question in the cell block that had caused Maggie to walk away from him.

"That's none of your business," Maggie spat out harshly and took a step towards the door. Her instinct told her it was better to just get out of there.

She almost made it to the door too before the other part of her wanted to give him a piece of her mind. Maggie stopped and spun on her heel, pointing a vicious finger at him. "And you know what, the reason I didn't come talk to you is because we're over and done. I had other shit to deal with," She snapped out harshly.

As soon as she started talking, she felt herself building up on a roll. "Like I don't know, the fact I went out on a supply run because I thought I was pregnant," Maggie barreled on, leaving out the part where she wasn't feel well afterwards.

That word caused Glenn's demeanor to shift though. The façade he had on fell in an instant. "You're pregnant?" He asked in a small voice and Maggie could almost hear his mind assuming it could be his.

"No," Maggie denied quickly, intending to squash that immediately. "And it wouldn't have been yours even if I was," She twisted the metaphorical knife a little bit. Maybe she was still feeling bitter over being struck by him.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Glenn sputtered out the questions. This was not what he expected to hear.

"No, Glenn. Believe me, there is _no chance_ it would have been yours," Maggie glared at him firmly. She could practically see his rational mind checking up and realizing what she meant by that. The shock was quickly replaced by him locking his jaw and his expression hardening.

"So yes, I am sleeping with Gabriel and that's because he's my boyfriend now," Maggie declared bluntly. Glenn made it hard for her to feel sympathetic when he was acting like this.

She squared her shoulders to him, feeling more confident to stand up to him with her words than before. She hadn't been this confident since back on the farm nearly a year ago. "And the rest is none of your business because _we are over_. You need accept that, learn to live with it and move on," She told him, but she felt like she was really speaking for the both of them.

While both of them heard her words, they both clearly did not agree. Maggie couldn't distinguish what the impassive expression on Glenn's face was about. He just shrugged his shoulders without batting an eye and declared coolly, "I don't want to live with it."

He didn't want to live with having to accept what he lost because of that outsider. How could they honestly expect him to just take the back seat and watch them be happy together? How can they expect him to be okay with Gabriel taking what should have been his? That's his life and his happiness they were talking about.

Maggie pulled her back literally at that. What the hell was that supposed to mean? "You don't have a choice," She said to him.

"Mag-gie!" Daryl's voice came from outside the parking garage. Her head turned, hearing the sound of his boots coming closer, almost running. "Have you –"

He cut his own voice short when he came around the corner and saw the two. "Glenn," He found the person he was looking for.

"What's going on here?" He asked, mostly of Maggie as he glanced between the two. The radiating tension was obvious.

"Nothing," Glenn's voice changed immediately, taking on a lighter tone as he answered the question that was addressed to Maggie. "We were just talking."

Glenn didn't even bother to wait for Daryl or Maggie to disagree with him. He turned and stepped out of the garage swiftly, stepping around the corner and out of sight. The redneck was less than convinced, his eyes followed after Glenn before going back to Maggie.

"You okay?" He asked, not being able to see any physical marks on Maggie, but there had to be some emotional ones as she anxiously wrapped her arms around herself.

Maggie just nodded, not really paying attention to Daryl anyway. She thought about how quickly Glenn acted as if it was nothing and what he last said to her. Was that a threat?


	43. Bunker Mai Tai

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I meant to post this Mabriel filled chapter yesterday but I wasn't feeling well. The song is just because I was having some intense Disney feels.

**Question:** This chapter would lead up to a lemon scene next chapter, do you guys want that?

M: Yeah! Maggie needed a good bitch moment. I feel like she hasn't had enough of those lately on the show.

Cafeteria Convict Beckett: I was wondering how long it would be before you noticed I was playing with those names too! Haha. The banishing Glenn is an interesting thought, but unfortunately, I think Glenn is going past the point of return. If there is a show down, there'll only be one man left standing.

Punkmoxie: Thanks girl! I'm glad you decided to give this story a chance.

aSprightlySoar: Yeah, unhinged is definitely a good way to describe it.

Music: Ne Yo ft. Cassandra Steen – Never Knew I Needed

* * *

Bunker Mai Tai  


* * *

The first person Maggie sought after her confrontation with Glenn was Gabriel. She managed to track the Aussie down rather easily. She found him in a small group gathered around Carol. The forefront of them was Zach holding up the string of Daryl's kills, asking what he should do with them while trying not to appear as squirmy with it as he was.

"Hey," Maggie interrupted the conversation gently, not that Gabriel was contributing much. She grabbed his arm and nodded to tug him aside.

"You okay?" Gabriel asked, noticing her off demeanor.

Maggie nodded and bit her lip, not knowing how much that habit annoyed him. "I have watch tonight," She explained. She didn't want to say anything in front of everyone. "I was wondering if you would join me?"

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at the odd question. Maggie took it as hesitation and tried to make it more enticing, "We could stay in the guard tower afterwards for the night," She suggested.

His eyes lit up shamelessly at the bold proposition. "How can I say no that?" He countered teasingly, pulling Maggie into a loose armed embrace.

A grin rose up on Maggie's face. She honestly was looking forward to spending a night alone with him, but she also did not want to spend the night alone after what Glenn said.

* * *

True to his word, Gabriel took the watch with Maggie. It made the time go by easier and helped take her mind off of everything. Granted, they didn't exactly keep a close eye on the fences, but Maggie was grateful to have someone she could talk to about any little thing. Even if it was just talking about the places they've traveled to and how much it took Gabriel to adjust to the States.

Towards the end of her shift, Gabriel disappeared into the cell block to pull out their stuff for the night. That was how Maggie found herself settling down into a bunch of blankets and pillows in the small room that they had shared before. This time Gabriel pulled up a couple of books and a camper lantern, one of those solar powered ones that charged during the day.

Their backs were leaning against the wall while Gabriel was going through the photos that he found. "This is my cousin, Rebecca, her baby and that's her husband face palming in the back, Stephen," Gabriel pointed out each face with a grin. Maggie snorted, understanding where the husband was coming from because the blonde was making a duck face with the baby in her arms.

"Eli, my older brother and his wife Josephine," Gabriel passed the next photo to Maggie. It was a wedding photo from what she could tell of the dark suit and the simple, but tasteful white gown. Maggie had to admit they were a gorgeous couple together. Josephine had beach-flowing curls over one shoulder and one hand on Eli's chest.

"You had another brother?" Maggie gasped. She didn't even think to ask after what she knew about Cole. But looking at the photo, she could see the similar eyes, bone structure and hair color. He was significantly older too.

Gabriel nodded, but didn't elaborate on it. No matter how much time passed, it was still hard to look at the photos.

"Here are some of my friends from college," He passed over another photo. Maggie snorted at the sight of Gabriel in the center of the photo with his arm wrapped around the neck of another dark-haired boy in a headlock. "The one I'm choking is Damien," Gabriel smirked. "He was annoying on the best of days." He pointed towards the two girls that were choosing to ignore the boys and pose for the picture with their arms around each other. "That's Lucy and Bonnie," He identified the two African young women, the one looked like she could be up to no good and the other had a sweet crooked smile.

Maggie gave a small smile as she stared at the increasing pile of photographs in her hands. Gabriel held another one out to her, it was a smaller one than the others.

"My uncle, Finn," Gabriel didn't really know what to say about him.

"Oh my," Maggie gave a funny look at the clothing the older man wore. He did look a little bit similar to Gabriel, but his hair was much longer and shaggier. He seemed paler too.

"Yeah," Gabriel drew the word out uncertainly. "He was really into Renaissance Fairs, I don't know," He threw a hand up at that.

Maggie shook her head with amusement. She wasn't even sure that was a decent enough excuse for those ghastly clothes.

The last photo Gabriel pulled out from the textbook had been folded over. It was the largest and Maggie found herself leaning against Gabriel's shoulder with curiosity to see it. Seeing all the faces staring back at him caused a solemn sigh to pass through his frame and a sadness to fill his eyes.

"Our last family Christmas," He explained finally and passed the photo over for Maggie to see. Many of the faces he had previous mentioned were in this photograph along with a lot of others. It floored Maggie how large his family actually was. She wanted to ask more, but she knew each question was hard on him.

At the same time, she couldn't help but think about how he had ended up in the States in the first place. She stared at the distant and blank expressions of the parents that blamed him for taking their child away. Despite all the heartache and everything that happened that night, it touched Maggie that he still carried all these photographs with him.

"Do you think any of them survived?" Maggie wondered aloud. It still unsettled her to look at photographs sometimes, not knowing if it was really just the faces of ghosts she was looking at.

"I doubt it," Gabriel said quickly. "Their uppity asses wouldn't last two months." He tried to sound joking, but it was a little strained.

"Except for Finn, maybe," He added on, pointing out the odd man with his equally strange red-haired girlfriend on the end of the family line up in front of the Christmas tree. "He was a paranoid shut in. I'm still not convinced that septic tank he ripped up half his yard for a few years ago wasn't a fallout bunker."

Maggie snorted a little bit at that. She stared at the photos, flipping through them a few more times before she handed them back. Buried in the pile was a photograph of Cole and Alexia. Gabriel didn't even need to explain anything about that one. She knew.

Maggie passed the photos back to Gabriel solemnly. It reminded her of the ones they kept on the refrigerator back at the farm.

"Though some days…" Gabriel cleared his throat, recalling the days his spirits were particularly low. "I like to think they're all sitting in that bunker, sipping on Mai Tais and Finn is telling them I told you so," Gabriel gave the photos one last look before tucking them away into the textbook he carried them in.

"I bet they are," Maggie agreed quietly, reaching out to take Gabriel's hand in hers. She wanted to believe with him that they were, because it was better than believing the truth.

Gabriel gave her hand an appreciative squeeze. After a few minutes, he shifted his arms to wrap around her and pull her against his chest. He'd rather focus on her than think about people he would never be able to reach again. Even if they were alive, they were half way across the world.

"There's something I need to tell you about Glenn…" Maggie announced quietly after a while. She had to tell him the real reason why she was worried about sleeping alone tonight.

* * *

Maggie tried to do something that she wasn't really used to doing. She just told him everything and what happened. She told him about taking inventory in the garage when Glenn showed up. Instead of trying to shoulder the burden herself, she repeated exactly everything that was said. It was so different than her past conversations with Glenn, that always ended up disconnected and confusing.

"I told him he didn't have a choice before Daryl showed up," Maggie finished explaining while fidgeting with the edge of the blanket nervously. Gabriel had shifted to his side to face her, supporting his head against his palm propped up by his elbow.

Gabriel's eyebrows rose again. He held his tongue back and patiently listened, despite how aggravated it made him picturing what went down. Although, he was surprised and impressed by the way Maggie handled it.

"Do you think we should say something to Rick and the Council?" Gabriel asked Maggie, trusting her judgment of the situation since he wasn't there.

"I don't know," Maggie mumbled, looking down at the stitching in the fabric. "He didn't technically _do_ anything, but you should have seen the look on his face when he said that…" What would the argument be to go back to locking him up full time? Because he was acting creepy?

"Do you think he could still be dangerous?" Gabriel asked her. He had only one understanding of Glenn since he arrived here. He couldn't really judge what his character was like without his bias.

That question caused Maggie to really stop and wonder.

"If you asked me that a year ago, I would say no," Maggie answered truthfully, lifting her gaze up to Gabriel's. "He would never raise a fist to someone then." Glenn was a jumpy half-scared thing on the farm. More awkward stuttering and wide-eyed staring than anything else.

"But since you've gotten here… He's pointed a gun at you, attacked you in the cafeteria, thrown a walker at you and left you for dead at Big Spot," Maggie rattled off the list of crimes, still having trouble believing it was the Glenn she knew that did that.

She gave a helpless shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know who that man is anymore or what he's capable of."

Gabriel regarded her carefully before nodding. He didn't have time to consider how different things were from when they first met and how Maggie was seeking protection from Gabriel now. "You still carry that gun on you?" He asked, recalling the one he had seen strapped to her thigh from time to time.

Maggie nodded and pointed towards the pile of clothes she had changed from. The holster was on the top of the pile.

"Good, keep it on you," Gabriel murmured and reached over to his pile of clothes next to hers. He just wanted to do a double check of the clip and bullets in his .9mm.

"Would you really shoot him?" Maggie wondered, feeling a little horrified that she was even discussing this about Glenn.

Gabriel paused and looked over his shoulder at her. "If it came down to protecting me or you, then yes. I would do it for us," He declared bluntly. Even if Maggie wasn't his to protect now, he would still do it to watch out for her.

Maggie's eyes widened a little at his lack of hesitation. "Have you shot anyone before?" Her tone implied in a fatal way.

She saw his shoulders still from his fingers halting on the barrel of the pistol. He set it down carefully back on top of his discarded jeans. "Yes," He replied carefully. "And that's a regret I have to live with."

"Before or after the outbreak?" Maggie blurted out before she could catch her tone.

Gabriel sighed deeply and rolled over onto his back. He didn't bother reaching for Maggie this time. His eyes went up blankly to the ceiling. "Both," He answered curtly. Kill or be killed situations existed for him before the dead started walking.

Maggie frowned, staring down at Gabriel. It unnerved her a little to think that if he had come to the prison in any other way, he would have failed Rick's three questions. But she didn't think it would have been right.

"Hey," She whispered, trying to draw his attention back to her. She reached out and touched his cheek to turn his face towards her. "I don't believe you're that type of man," She said sincerely. "You're a good man, Gabriel."

His worry seemed to ease up and she proved her point further by leaning down to kiss him. She felt a hand slide around to the back of her neck to hold her there as he sighed and parted his lips beneath hers. It felt like a slow drip of every negative emotion feel from him as she melted into him. It soothed him, but also spurred him with energy.

Before long, Maggie felt him push back against her and her back hit the blankets atop the mattresses. His hand roamed shamelessly along her thigh, hip and side.

Gabriel broke away from the kiss to ask her, "Did you really tell him to deal with it and move on?" He almost couldn't believe it or help the cheeky grin.

Maggie cringed slightly. It sounded really bad talking about it after the fact. "Yeah, I was feeling a little spiteful I guess," She said sheepishly.

Gabriel just continued to grin at her broadly.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Maggie furrowed her brows, trying not to return the infectious smile.

"Nothing," Gabriel shook his head quickly, his eyes passing her up and down. "I'm just in awe of you, I wish I had seen that." He had to admit the image of her telling Glenn off and saying that Gabriel was her boyfriend made it a little hard to restrain himself so close to her. He wasn't doing a good job at it with his hand that kept moving up and down her thigh.

Despite herself, Maggie let out a laugh. Her hands moved to frame his face, running her fingers over the stubble on his face.

The benefit to them being alone in the guard tower, there was no one to hide from here. They had the entire night and Gabriel was in no particular hurry. He just smirked as he hovered over, letting her fingertips wander over his features.

"What is it?" He asked when the silence itched at him with curiosity. He wanted to know what the meaningful and thoughtful expression in Maggie's eyes was about.

She gave a shrug of her shoulders. She was thinking about the fact a few months ago she wouldn't have had to the strength to do any of that. She wouldn't stand up to her father, to Glenn or to anyone really before. She could have, but she just didn't realize she could. It was there all along.

"I just… didn't know how much I needed you in my life," Maggie murmured truthfully, "Until you were."

With him, she laughed and smiled more than the last time she could recall. Before he came, she had forgotten what being happy was like. She didn't think they were allowed to be happy in this new world.

But it was damn hard to when he smiled at her like he was now. Gabriel leant down to her lips, intending to show her just how much he needed her.


	44. For Better or Worse

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

You asked for a lemon, here's a lemon and some Mabriel fluff. I'm curious to see if you guys can apply Gabriel's criteria to Maggie or not in this chapter. Let me know what you think!

aSprightlySoar: I kept thinking of Finn from season three when I wrote that haha!

Tribal Council Beckett: Piggy gets the lemon then! If last chapter was ice cream on a summer day, what does that make this chapter?

M: Yes! They are definitely a united force now – that's exactly why I wanted to write that conversation about Glenn. Way to pick up on that. But yeah, I might be a slight Stebekah shipper. ;D His family may or may not come up again later. We'll see.

Music: Enrique Iglesias - Finally Found You

* * *

For Better or Worse

* * *

[Entering Lemon Zone]

* * *

Gabriel channeled his emotion into Maggie and his actions. The energy that came from his internal loss of family and tension with the threat of Glenn accumulated with his desire for her flesh. His mouth closed over hers hungrily.

Gabriel shifted his body over hers. He moved from her leg being between his knees to settling down between hers. Maggie made a noise between his lips that he couldn't tell if it was more of approval or surprise when he grabbed her leg by the back of the knee and pulling it up against his hip. If she didn't feel how much he wanted her with the way he kissed her, she felt it with that action.

Her hands slide down from the back of his head to his shoulders before snaking down around to his waist. Gabriel paused in his assault when he felt the fabric bunching around his armpits. With a confident smirk, he leant back from Maggie and pulled the shirt over his head at her prompting.

Maggie bit her lip as she stared up at Gabriel's naked torso and his lean build. She shoved the remains of the blankets out of the way, not wanting anything else to get in the way. Gabriel brought his hand to her face and placed his thumb right below her lip, just to get her to stop biting it before he leant back down to her.

When his lips broke away from hers again, they moved to the corner of her mouth and along her jaw. Maggie tilted her head back for him, feeling her heart starting to beat faster and the room starting to grown warmer, or maybe that was just her. Her hands sought out more of that heat by running along Gabriel's back. She made her need even more apparent when her ankles hooked behind him and she pulled her hips up against his. Even in the shorts and his sweat pants, the clothes felt cumbersome.

Gabriel made a faint rumble from her neck. His hand was slipping under the hem of her shirt when a sudden thought occurred to him. He pulled back from her neck, "Wait, so… is it okay if we do this now?" It wasn't that he didn't have the confidence in himself, but he wanted to make sure it was okay for a different reason after the recent trouble it caused.

Maggie blinked and it took her a moment to realize he meant the birth control. "Yes, its fine," She said quickly her fingers into him a little bit, wanting to pull him back to her.

"Are you sure?" Gabriel blurted thoughtlessly, trying to look at Maggie and not her body rubbing up against his.

Maggie let out a flustered sigh. "Gabriel," She growled out his name in a warning tone. Her hand went to the back of his neck. He better shut up and start moving again or there would be one worked up Maggie to deal with.

"Got it," Gabriel muttered quickly, feeling her pull his head down to hers. He didn't need to be told a third time after that.

Their limps rolled back and forth as Maggie pushed Gabriel over onto his back. It became a tug of war, of pushing one onto their back and discarding an article of clothing before the other got too hungry for more.

Maggie felt her anxieties slipping away as she got consumed in Gabriel, feeling her skin moist from where his lips had been and her skin tingling from the pressure and touch of his hands. She felt free from her clothes, simply to feel such sensations as the coarseness of his body hair against her inner thighs as hers brushed up against his.

Maggie let out a moan at the teeth scrapping against her neck. She could feel him rubbing up against her slicken core, teasing her with just a small introduction. "Gabriel, please," She whimpered.

He answered her by sliding the hand that pinned her wrist to the mattress up to her fingers. Her palm spread open while her muscles stretched for him. She felt his hot breath against her ear and opened her eyes to see their hands laced together against the fabric.

Gabriel supported himself with his other arm on his elbow as his hips began to roll into her. The moans began to pour from her lips at the long and sensual thrusts caused by the friction between them. Her nails dug into his shoulder blades when he began to pick up the pace and her ankles hooked around him, begging for more.

Maggie felt the chill where he wasn't touching her, but the burn where he was and the ache that pleading for more he touched her in just that way.

* * *

[Leaving Lemon Zone]

* * *

Her hands were slick on his back from the sweat traded between their bodies when he came. Maggie held him to her, taking on most of his weight through those moments while she felt the groan from his chest. He whispered her name in her ear as he came down from the high. Her hips ached and her knees shook from the jarring, but pleasurable movements.

When Gabriel caught his breath, he leant up on his elbows but his face was still buried in her neck. "Oh god," He sighed out, he wasn't normally a religious man, but it was funny how the throes of passion could make someone into one. "I love you."

Maggie gave a weak smile, still panting a bit herself. Gabriel pull out of her and shifted onto his side. She could see his chest rise and falling quickly. His hand moved down to her hip while he got comfortable. Modesty told her to grab a blanket and cover up, but it was too damn warm and humid in the room at the moment.

"How do you know?" Maggie blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Gabriel looked up in confusion from the fingers that were curling around his bicep to her sweat slicken expression.

Maggie had to voice the niggling concern in the back of her head, despite how much she enjoyed him. "I mean, you're not saying it just because we –"

"No!" Gabriel cut her off right away as soon as he realized what she meant. "No, I'm not that kind of guy…" He knew a fair number that would say it just for the sex. "I just didn't…" He just didn't really think about holding it back now.

"Okay," Maggie said quickly and looped her arm around him reassuringly. She licked her lips, still tasting him, while trying to figure out how to voice her thoughts. "It's just how do you know you're in love with me? So soon?"

"So soon?" Gabriel repeated, his eyebrows rising with understanding that Maggie was a little frightened, not questioning his integrity.

Maggie swallowed thickly and nodded.

She watched his expression twist up with thought and indecision. He didn't really think it was all that soon, he had been interested in her from the beginning. Of course, she only just got out of her last relationship, but that wasn't it.

"Soon… you mean as compared to before there were walkers?" Gabriel clarified.

Maggie nodded and had to fight the urge to bite her lip.

"Okay, before walkers…" Gabriel mused out loud, trying to think of it like a scenario. While he did, he leant back from Maggie to grab one of the blankets and pull it over them. This would likely be a long conversation. He settled down on his side next to her. "We would have met in college likely, no?"

"Okay," Maggie cocked her head oddly at Gabriel, too curious to not go along with this story.

"After a week, maybe two tops, I would have gotten the courage to ask out this beautiful brunette in my class," Gabriel smirked, tucking some of Maggie's hair behind her ear.

She rolled her eyes at the compliment and chose to ignore it. "After just a week?" She taunted. That sounded mighty confident.

Gabriel just half shrugged. "I'm not exactly shy," He excused himself. "Anyway, we would go out twice, maybe three times a week… dinners on a college student budget, anxious mediocre movie theaters…"

"Twice a week," Maggie corrected him, unable to help the small smile at this point. "I have more of social life than that and I'm not desperate."

"Hard to get, ouch," Gabriel muttered with a smirk. "My point is, it would take us six or so months to get know each other like we do here. We live in the same building, I see you every day. I saw you from the beginning. _You_ were the reason I came back. I know who you are and I _see you_." He added on pointedly, knowing they connected more than what Maggie wanted other people to see in her.

Just like he could see that she was a little appeased by his answer, considering it, but still dubious about something else. Of course, she didn't make him wait long to wonder about what.

"But how do you know its love and not the thrill of meeting someone new?" Maggie asked the question that had really been bugging her. She wanted to be sure it was the former before she said it and not confused it for the latter like last time.

"I just know," Gabriel answered without batting an eye.

"But _how_?" Maggie stressed at this point, she shifted her body to mirror Gabriel's and look him in the eye at the same level.

He let out an incredulous sigh. She wasn't going to make this easy on him apparently. His hand went his hair, ruffling it up more as he tried to put it into words.

"I knew… the morning I woke up and I wanted _you_ to be there, every morning," He tried to describe the time he knew it was love and not lust.

"Because…" Gabriel tried to articulate how he felt. "Love is selfish," It makes you want someone for yourself, even if they aren't yours to have. "But it also makes you selfless," He realized. "It makes you want to be there for that person, even if you couldn't do it for yourself." He thought of the nights he heard her crying. Maybe it was the society he was raised in, but women crying normally made him uncomfortable. Those times though, he wanted to be there for her.

"And not just for the good parts," His hand ran up and down her arm, glancing between their bodies. "But the ugly ones too. You accept it, all of them."

He paused while he thought about it, Maggie didn't make any move to interrupt though.

With that idea, he recognized another part. "And it's about being vulnerable too," He declared. "Because it's not just their ugly parts shared, but yours too… And that's frightening as hell," He admitted honestly, bringing his eyes back up to Maggie. He voiced what he felt in that moment, "Because you know they could cut you to pieces in seconds and you would let them." His eyes flickered over her expression, knowing her reaction right now could do just that.

"But you want to be better. For them," He felt himself calming down as he came to an answer he was satisfied with. "They make you believe you can be better."

He nodded finally, looking to Maggie. Her lips were pressed tightly together and there was a glint in her eyes. His thumb stroked over her skin as he anxiously waited for her to say something. Each second felt agonizing.

She didn't have any doubts that he genuinely felt that way now. The question in her mind was whether or not she felt that way about him. She just wasn't sure if she was there yet. She wasn't sure if she was letting herself be vulnerable for someone else right now, never mind the rest.

"You feel all those things because of me?" Maggie was touched though. She didn't quite expect such a strong response from him.

Unable to take the heavy tension any longer, Gabriel threw on a teasing smirk. "You? Pffth," He half shrugged. "I was talking about Rocky."

Maggie rolled her eyes and slapped her hand against his shoulder. "Jerk," She muttered before being silenced by a chaste kiss from him. She felt his grin against hers and the sigh of relief from his chest.


	45. Long Distance Hope

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

PS. This song is a mashup on YouTube that is absolutely amazing, I highly recommend listening to it! Even if it's not while you're reading. You can look it up by the song title.

Okay, if I have any techie people reading this – I did a little research about the end of this chapter, but please don't flame me if this is actually impossible. Just remember, it's fanfiction, not real life. So I apologize if I'm inaccurate with this usage, but just go with it. Okay?

M: I haven't forgotten about Rocky! I just haven't written good scenes to work her in yet. But I intend to come up with a couple before the end.

aSprightlySoar: I'm glad you liked the college scenario too! I feel like if these two actually met in the normal world, there's a chance they would have ended up dating. I never got that vibe with Glenn and Maggie. He was totally dating out of his league with the ZA.

Spectator Beckett: Thank you! I kind of took the vibes from some of my favorite love speeches in several movies and ended up with Gabriel's last chapter. :)

Music: Jessica Jarrell & James Alan – Payphone/Call Me Maybe Mashup

* * *

Long Distance Hope

* * *

Jennifer squinted at Gabriel. He was looking in her direction, but he wasn't looking at her. She turned around in her seat and found what was giving him that lazy grin on his face. The blonde sighed, in a playful and mock sulking manner.

"You're right, that sweatshirt does look better on her," Jennifer commented. The green definitely went with her skin tone better. Baby blue was more of Jennifer's color.

Maggie was in the lunch line with a tray, awaiting her turn with Zach in front of her. The college sweatshirt Jennifer tried on earlier was now on her.

"Yeah it does," Gabriel mumbled only half paying attention to Jennifer and eying up Maggie's legs. That sweatshirt looked really good on her this morning when he woke up to her straddling him with nothing else on. The memory of him grasping her thighs as she moved up and down, riding him into a morning delight was one he was having a hard time trying to shake at the moment.

"I'm still waiting for a thank you, by the way," Jennifer turned around in her seat and started picking at her ration of bread.

"What?" Gabriel blinked, wondering what the heck she was talking about.

"Oh come on, you don't really think no one has noticed you're wearing the same clothes from yesterday," Jennifer waved her bread piece towards his shirt before popping it in her mouth. Never mind the obvious fact Maggie was wearing his sweatshirt.

"That doesn't mean anything," Gabriel said indignantly. He knew for a fact that Rick would wear the same shirt for a week before washing it. They didn't exactly have the same luxuries as before.

"No? That has nothing to do with the animal noises Daryl's been mimicking all morning that he claims he heard from the guard tower?" Jennifer grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Gabriel shot her a sour look. Instead of saying anything to her, he pointed his fork towards the one youth at the table across from. "Carl, earmuffs," He ordered, he didn't like the direction this was going.

"Why?" He protested immediately, although he was confused he made no such move to cover his ears.

Gabriel gave him an exasperated look. Before Jennifer could make it worse, they were cut off by the sound of a groan and Zach putting his tray down between Carl and Jennifer.

"Don't ever ask that question, Carl," Zach chimed in as he sank down into his seat. He waved a hand to emphasis his point. "Ever."

"Rough night, mate?" Gabriel asked, his eyebrows rising at the blonde's exhausted and aggravated demeanor. He was glad for the distraction from Jennifer's teasing.

He gave a rolling nod. "I slept on it, thought about it and I still have _no idea_ what happened," He said helplessly.

"With what?" Gabriel was still lost.

"Beth," Zach sighed out as if it was obvious.

"What about my sister?" Maggie's voice cut in. She was only a few steps behind Zach in the first place. She moved around the table and set her tray down next to Gabriel before sliding into the bench seat.

Zach shifted to sit more upright in his seat, seeing he had most of the tables' attention. "Okay, so last night we're talking and you know," He gave an awkward side nod to Carl. Gabriel smirked and Maggie felt a hand on her knee. She tried to swat it away discreetly, especially since it caused her to jump more than usual.

"And I tried to tell her maybe she should stop giving Gabriel such a hard time," Zach went on, looking towards his friend. "You know? Just that she should lighten up and give him a chance." Everyone sitting at the time seemed to be getting along with the Aussie just fine.

"Oh, bad move," Maggie muttered from behind a mouthful of food.

Zach stopped what he was saying and gave her a look.

"She's a little stubborn," Maggie explained the trait that kind of ran in the family. She gave a side glance towards Gabriel who was keeping silent with a smirk.

"_A little_," Zach deadpanned sarcastically before going on. He looked around to the others. "Next thing I know, it's somehow about _our_ relationship, I don't listen to her enough but I'm too needy or I don't know and I'm waddling out of her cell with a serious case of blue –"

His words were overwhelmed by a loud, scratching throat clearing from Gabriel. The Aussie had a hand over his mouth. It was disruptive enough to cause Zach to stop right away.

Gabriel's eyes gave a meaningful flicker towards Carl. The boy was stirring his food around on the plate with a deeply confused expression. He wasn't looking at them, but he was obviously listening.

"Oh right," Zach muttered. "But tell me, _how _does that even happen?" It was the worse bait and switch he ever experienced.

"Oh," Gabriel opted to bite his tongue on that wide open door. Instead, he moved the hand from Maggie's knee to around her waist.

"You're probably better off not understanding," Jennifer spoke up with a cheery grin.

"Why not?" Zach turned to her, never knowing what to expect from the bubbly blonde.

"Because women understand women and we mostly hate each other," Jennifer stated casually before taking another bite of her food.

Gabriel buried a snort behind another coughing noise. Carl glanced up at him, wondering if he was choking on water or something. Maggie looked over at the blonde incredulously. From the corner of his eye, Gabriel could see Maggie's jaw open expression fizzling over her new information about Jennifer. The brunette was trying to figure out if she was being serious or not.

"So what do you suggest I do then?" Zach countered Jennifer.

"Apologize, duh," The blonde shrugged her shoulders as if it was the most obvious point in the world.

"But I didn't do anything wrong," Zach protested. Heck, he still didn't even know how it happened.

"So?" Jennifer deadpanned. Who said he had to do anything wrong to apologize?

"Yeah, I'm confused," Carl finally spoke, having trouble following the conversation from the beginning. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Exactly," Gabriel chimed in and pointed his fork towards Carl, ignoring the eye roll Maggie gave next to him. "But get used it to now, women will confuse you the rest of your life."

Maggie shook her head at the entire conversation. She felt the hand on her waist give a small squeeze. Her eyes wandered away from the lunch crew around to the other survivors in the cafeteria. There was one in particular that wiped the smile off her face slowly.

Glenn was sitting at an empty table by himself, pushing food around on his plate. He frequently looked up and directly at her table, specifically Maggie sitting at Gabriel's side. The impassive dark stare set her nerves on edge. Maybe it was her imagination, but it reminded her of the one he gave her in the garage.

Gabriel felt a hand on his thigh. He turned, almost to whisper a tease in Maggie's ear until he saw her change in demeanor. His eyes followed her gaze and his arm tightened protectively around Maggie, refusing to flinch away from Glenn's stare.

* * *

It took two days to clean up the administration buildings. Originally, they had been sealed off when Gabriel arrived, but since then they decided to clear them and secure them. The Council decided the only building that wouldn't be secure in the prison was cell block B, where the wall had been blown out. Everything else could be reclaimed in time.

Maggie was with the small crew that picked up the offices after they had been cleared of walkers. It was mostly just clearing out the trash and debris, most of which would be burned for fire in the winter. It was a little spooky after first. The rooms were musty and the air stagnant. The smell was rancid at times. Sometimes she was startled by a scuffling sound.

She half expected it to be a walker, or maybe even Glenn after the way he snuck up on her last time. But instead, Maggie was never so relieved to see rats.

She found it in the corner of one of the offices. She figured it must have been a security supervisor of some sort. They weren't high up enough to be the warden, but Maggie didn't exactly bother to read through the paperwork that was strewn across the room from the overturned desk.

They were on a small shelf in the corner of the room. There was nothing remarkable about them. They were covered in dust and a tangle of cords on the best day. The bulky black plastic was archaic and most people would overlook it for that fact alone. There was only one of them left on the idle charger.

It made sense to Maggie why they were here. If the power ever went out or things got real bad, a prison would definitely want one of these to reach the outside world. It was just most of the outside world didn't fully appreciate the name Iridium.

It took a little creativity to siphon the electricity from the battery of one of the solar panels that had been rescued with Woodbury. It felt like it took forever for the device to gain a charge and without raising too much suspicion. Maggie didn't exactly want to broadcast what it was that she was up to.

* * *

The sun was starting to head back down in the sky when it was finally done, late in the afternoon. Maggie stashed the cords, the charging dock, and the actual device away in a shoulder pack before heading out for one of the guard towers. True to her word, she still kept the pistol strapped to her thigh.

Maggie glanced around before slipping inside the tower door and heading up the stairs. She emerged out on the observation level, finding Gabriel on watch with his rifle slung over his shoulder. He was feeling strong enough to start using it again. The Aussie stood up straight from the railing at seeing Maggie coming around the corner.

"Hey, how was the clean up?" Gabriel greeted her gently.

Maggie made a face. He didn't look particularly put out that he got put on fence reinforcement duty instead. "I'll let you know when I stop sneezing from all the dust," Maggie wrinkled her nose a bit before stepping up to him. One benefit to making her new relationship official with him was the kiss he greeted her with.

Normally it was just a quick one, but Maggie threw her arms around his neck instead. "And I'm in desperate need of a shower," Maggie murmured against his lips with his hands going naturally to her waist.

"Sounds like an invite," Gabriel smirked faintly before pressing his lips back to hers. After a few moments, Maggie pulled back and Gabriel shivered slightly from the fingertips at the back of his neck.

"Keep dreaming," She told him. She was keeping all the flowing water to herself. With that pump system, there was only so much you could get at once.

Maggie's weight went back on her heels as she eased up from him. Her hands moved down to his collarbones, enjoying his presence, but the backpack strap on her shoulder weighed her down.

"Are you okay?" Gabriel ask, studying her expression closely.

Maggie nodded and took a deep breath before asking, "Do you remember telling me about your family the other night?"

"Yes," Gabriel murmured with a thoughtful frown, wondering where this was going.

"If there was a chance you could find out if they made it," Maggie wasn't even sure if she would want to know. "Would you want to know?"

Gabriel's hand stilled on her waist and he pulled his head back in surprise. He was mostly floored by the question. Of course the gut instinct said yes, but he didn't understand the odd look in Maggie's eyes or why she would even ask.

"Of course," He answered her honestly.

"Even if it meant the chance of finding out none of them made it?" Maggie pressed. She knew the risk of dashing any hope was dangerous in itself. At least, before this, Gabriel could still pretend that they're sitting in that bunker he talked about. "Would you still want to know?"

Gabriel was silent at first. No matter what he knew about his family, whether they were alive or dead, chances were he would never find a way back to them. Was it better to ignorantly believe they were all still alive or know the truth?

"Why are you asking me this?" Gabriel had to know instead.

Maggie stepped back from his arms to sling the bag down in front of her. With hard confused face, Gabriel watched her hand disappear inside the bag before producing the small black device.

"Because I found this," Maggie declared and held it out to him. "I know it's a long shot that it'll even work, but there's a chance it could." She really saw it as a chance for Gabriel to finally get some closure on it.

He took it from her hand carefully and delicately, recognizing it immediately for what it was. His fingers ran over the display screen and the bulky antennae on the end. It was already turned on and showing a fully charged battery. Nine rubber covered numbers stared back at him tauntingly along with the name Iridium.

It was a satellite phone.


	46. Homecoming

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

aSprightlySoar: Call me an optismist with this chapter, but I just couldn't help it.

Jailbait Beckett: This chapter is a bit longer, but I didn't want to cut out anything from the phone conversation I envisioned in my head. :)

M: I know! I'll try not to have too many more cliffies like that. PS. I can't wait to see who will identify all the IR/TVD references in this chapter.

So I blame the picture that's been floating around of Nate and Daniel at a Con – they really look like they could be brothers and this chapter resulted from the feels of that.

There's a lot of mention of OC's in this chapter – I'm sorry if that annoys anyone. At least my IR readers will appreciate all the references.

PS. For some reason when I was writing this I kept imagining the ringtone from Jurassic Park III (if you look on YT for "Jurassic Park Satellite Ringtone") and the dinosaur that ate the phone haha.

I dare you to read this chapter while listening to either of these songs and not get teary eyed.

Music: Birdy – Without a Word / Ingrid Michaelson – Turn to Stone

* * *

Homecoming

* * *

_[Birdy – Without a Word]_

The phone felt like a brick getting heavier and heavier in his hand each moment that he spent staring at it. Truthfully, this hadn't been the first time it occurred to him to try to find a long distance radio or phone such as this before. He had tried about a month after everything went to hell. Back then, it just kept ringing and ringing and ringing.

Since then, he wasn't sure he really wanted to know. Without it, he could believe they were just sipping a cocktail in Finn's septic bunker. But Maggie's words lingered in his mind. Would you really want to know?

Gabriel cleared his throat uncertainly. "You remember that silly Human Anatomy book I have?" He asked Maggie, his knuckles clutched white around the phone.

The brunette nodded immediately. The water stained and worn text was the same one that he carried the photographs in it.

"Could you go get it for me?" He requested of her gently. If he went inside by himself, he probably would lose all of his nerve to do this.

* * *

Ultimately, they moved to the roof of the cell block. Apparently the phones didn't work inside in buildings and the best vantage of the horizon increased the chances of a signal. That was how Maggie found herself sitting next to Gabriel, carefully sitting on the pitch of the steel sheet rooftop. It was a little higher than the one he camped out on with his sniper rifle to shoot the walkers.

It took a bit for Maggie to adjust to the height and view. The wind smacked against her face as she squinted at the forest stretched out around them. The sun was starting to settle down, just barely touching the top of the tree lines. It would just be awaking on the other side of the world.

She had the bag set down next to her and Gabriel on the other side. He had the textbook in his lap and clutching the phone tightly in his other hand. Maggie heard another shaky deep breath from him. Her stomach was clenched in a nervous knot, she could only imagine how he felt.

Gabriel opened the book to the inside cover. Maggie leant over a little to see what he was looking at. There was a whole series of numbers scribble down it in his handwriting. The names next to them made Maggie realize it was phone numbers – probably from when he first left for college.

"Most of these are cell phones and landlines," Gabriel shook his head as a finger moved down the page. "I doubt they'll work." Even if the power grid was working, who's to say the phones would? The cell phones would be useless without service.

"Unless…" Gabriel halted on marked 'Finn's ranch'. Unless there was one place that needed a number not reliant on poor cell coverage or power outages.

Before Maggie could ask him, he started to punch in buttons. She held her tongue, not wanting to interrupt or stop him.

Anxiously, Gabriel hit the send button and slowly held the device up to his ear. Maggie saw the small twitches in his eyes and brows he reacted to the noises that greeted him. He half expected the jarring recorded message that this number could not be reached or the network was no longer in service. Instead, there was a series of scratching noises and disjointed sounds – like someone was plugging an electronic into a poorly connected outlet.

Maggie's hand slipped into Gabriel's on top of the book. His fingers wrapped around hers in return. His eyebrows rose suddenly and he looked to Maggie. "It's ringing," He said.

Those two words never caused Maggie to so still before. She waited, almost still enough to hear the device from Gabriel's ear. She watched the frightened hope on his face through the first three rings.

The fourth ring caused his brow line to ease up. The fifth ring, she could see his shoulders starting to sag a little bit. By the sixth and seventh, his expression had fallen into a solemn one.

On the ninth ring, his thumb hit the end call button.

He brought the phone down to his lap, next to their hands. Maggie had felt like she just road a roller coaster and they had gone down the massive hill. Her stomach was in her throat, but there was nothing to catch them but disappointment.

"I'm sorry," Maggie finally broke the silence with a whisper. She had just tried to help.

Gabriel pulled his hand from hers, simply to closed the textbook and set it aside. He still held onto the phone, which had the mocking display of the time and incorrect date (from being shut off for so long). "It was worth a try, right?" Gabriel tried to give her a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

His hands went back to hers, clasping around it, simply to have to something to hold onto.

"The truth is…" Gabriel found his voice again, trying to focus on their hands and not the sick feeling in his gut. "I've gone through all those numbers before. Most of them were disconnected or just kept ringing and ringing." It had been so long since he ever heard a voice on the other end.

It just stung him more that there had been a time someone would have answered on the second ring. But he had pushed them away, because he thought it was what he needed.

_[Ingrid Michaelson – Turn to Stone]_

Maggie sighed dishearteningly. She realized everyone had their one piece of their old life. Rick and Carl it was the hat. Lori had her photo album. And for Gabriel, it was a textbook full of phone numbers and pocket photographs.

A jarring and unnerving series of beeps ripped through the air.

Maggie and Gabriel looked up at each other, staring like wide-eyed mirrors at each other. One was looking to the other to see if they heard that too.

A second series sounded, almost mockingly cheery and energetic.

Gabriel turned in his seat towards the satellite phone sitting on top of his textbook. He had never been so alarmed by a simple green display screen lighting up. Carefully, he picked it up while the phone ran for a third time and brought it close enough for Maggie to see as well. The number he had just dialed was staring back at him.

"Answer it!" Maggie urged on the fourth ring. Trying to resist the urge to snatch it out of his hands and do so herself.

She could see his hand shaking when he accepted the call and held the phone back to his ear. Gabriel looked pale, almost as if he was going to be physically ill.

He heard a series of sounds. A lot of static from the questionable signal. A faint hissing or shushing noise, he couldn't tell what. There was something else distorted in the background before a pregnant pause in which everything settled down.

"Hello?" A male voice said from the other side. "Is someone there? Is there anyone alive?"

The sound of a voice caused Gabriel's mouth to fall open. The rest, so distinctly familiar caused his eyes to start blinking rapidly. By the third question, he was sure of it, but struggle to find his own voice.

There was some scuffling in the background, it sounded like the man was shushing someone else. "Just wait a minute," Gabriel was able to pick out.

"Hello, are you there?" The male voice tried again.

Gabriel was jarred by a shake of his shoulder from Maggie. She couldn't hear what he was hearing, but she was dying to know what was causing that reaction from him.

Gabriel forced the lump down his throat before saying in a small voice, "Eli? Elijah?"

There was silence, filled with static and scratching at first.

Then in a reserved and suspicious tone, he replied, "How do you know my name?"

Gabriel leant forward, catching his forehead in his other hand. Maggie wrapped her hands around his arm and leant her head against his shoulder as support and trying to hear what she could.

"Eli, _brother_. It's me," Gabriel gave a weary smile, never thinking he would get to say that again. He didn't even care about the first tears that started to run down his cheeks as he did.

"Gabriel?" Elijah's voice sounded weaker and unsure, but he still heard it.

A strangled sigh passed through Gabriel. He nodded at first and then remembered he couldn't see him. "Yes," He replied.

There was a gasping and swearing from the other side. Gabriel could almost imagine him needing to sit down. Gabriel could faintly hear other voices asking questions and his name getting repeated before the noises were escalated.

"Where are you? Are you safe?" Elijah recovered first.

"Yes, I'm safe," Gabriel answered and sat up slowly. His hand reached for one of Maggie's gripping it tightly for support and making sure this was really happening. "I'm still in the States. Where are you? Who's with you?"

Maggie didn't care about the fact he held her hand so tightly that it hurt. She felt her own tears start to fall as she caught the faint whispering of Gabriel finding out his family was at this ranch of his uncle's. Eli and his wife, Josephine were there. Finn and his girlfriend as well. Maggie wrapped herself around Gabriel as he listened to the news that his parents didn't make it out of the city before it was quarantined and the streets were napalmed. Apparently his father was stuck in his ways and would never consider leaving his home. His other uncle Nicholas and his girlfriend Caroline didn't make it out of the city before the quarantine either. The rest had hidden underground the first couple of months.

* * *

The phone was passed around on the other end. Maggie sat by Gabriel's side as it seemed like every surviving member wanted a chance to speak to him. She admired, no matter how many tears silently ran down his cheeks, he hung through each and every one.

Finn wrestled the phone away from Elijah first. There was a pattern to these talks, once they got through the initial story of how they got on, they caught up like if it was just another familial holiday.

"How many years was it you called me crazy? And where is that everyone got in their cars and bugged out to as soon as things got weird, huh?" Finn was going on and Gabriel was just enjoying hearing his indignant and sanctimonious attitude again. It was true, all of his closest relatives, the cars started piling into his driveway with the first whisperings of emergency evacuations.

"I didn't think you were crazy," Gabriel said innocently.

"Oh you're so full of shit!" Finn scowled immediately. "All of you are." Gabriel could just imagine him waving his hand around in irritation at the others.

"How's Sage?" Gabriel asked with a small tear stained grin.

There was an audible sigh of annoyance from Finn. "Pregnant,_ again_."

* * *

Rebecca got the phone after that. Maggie rubbed her free hand against Gabriel's back soothingly while he listened to the blonde prattle on. Apparently little Alexander was walking and talking now. Gabriel listened to a lengthy rant about how annoyed Rebecca was that his first word ended up being Daddy. He could just imagine the smug look on Stephen, who wouldn't dare to say more because he would pay for it later.

At one point, Gabriel surprised Maggie by pulling the phone away from his ear. Prior to this point, he hadn't said anything to her. The only acknowledgment he gave that she was still there was the occasional squeeze of her hand.

"Becca wants to talk to you," He stated, almost as confused as her, and held the phone out.

"Okay…" Maggie wasn't sure what she could have to say to a woman she never met. She took the phone and held it up to her ear. "Hello?" She asked.

"Is this Margaret?" A feminine voice with a thick accent and little patience answered.

"It's Maggie, but yes," Maggie corrected reflexively, lifting her gaze back to Gabriel.

"Whatever it is," Rebecca huffed out. "Listen, you're the one that told my stubborn-ass of a cousin to call, no?"

"Uh, yes," Maggie wasn't sure if she wanted to agree to the stubborn ass part, but for all intents and purposes she did.

"I need you to promise me you'll keep him from doing anything _stupid_. Okay?" Rebecca hoped this stranger on the phone could do that. "I made him promise me that he would call every day when he left and he broke that the first day." Gabriel must have been leaning close enough to hear that, because his gaze faltered guiltily. Based on her tone, Maggie realized he wasn't the only that had been hurting during that time.

"So I need you, whoever you are, to watch out for my cousin for me. Okay?" Rebecca urged, stubbornly trying to keep her voice even and firm.

Maggie took a moment to wipe her nose against the collar of her shirt. "Yes, I will," She promised.

There was a scratching of static or sniffling before Rebecca said, "Good. Put him back on the phone now."

Maggie pulled the phone hesitantly away from her ear. She could just imagine this blonde being as cuddly as a porcupine to strangers, but clearly fiercely protective of her own.

* * *

Elijah got the phone back finally and it was the longest conversation. Maggie listened to Gabriel's side of the conversation as they first shared the news that they did know and what happened. Elijah actually had a lot more to say. According to him, Asia, Europe and North America got hit the worst with largest concentrated populations. A lot of people bugged out to the rural areas around them before the military set fire to the streets in the cities. Sydney was razed completely.

At one point, Maggie vaguely heard Elijah say something along the lines of, "You can tell your American friends that the Opera House is gone." An exhausted bark of a laugh came from Gabriel at his jest, although serious comment.

"I should be there," Gabriel realized, not because it sounded relatively safer there, but that was where his family was. For the first time, he really appreciated that was where he belonged.

"I must confess," Elijah spoke on the other side regretfully. "If I knew things were going the way they were, I would've fought a lot harder when you left."

Until that point, Gabriel had kept his tears quiet, not that anyone faulted him before it. But something in him broke, a sob bubbled up on his lips. His shoulders shook and Maggie moved her arms around his waist, holding him tightly while he bowed his head.

"I'm so sorry, Elijah," Gabriel apologized, his voice cracking. It wasn't just not being there either. "I never meant to do it… I just wanted him to be okay. I always wanted him to be okay." It was the reason why he went along with the ridiculous idea of joining the military so young. He just couldn't imagine doing anything without him.

"Gabriel," Elijah tried to interrupt him before he could keep going, but failed.

"I just didn't know what else to do. He got into that fight with Lee over Alexia. I just wanted to get them out of there. I just wanted them to be okay… I didn't see the light," Gabriel sounded like if he would start hyperventilating if he wasn't so intent on speaking first.

"Gabriel!" Elijah's voice rose, getting through to him.

"No one here blames you for what happened," He said in a slow and meaningful tone. It went without say the ones that did blame him, hadn't made it to the ranch with them. "We know why you had to go," Elijah reassured.

Gabriel nodded understandingly, even though Elijah couldn't see him. The brothers took their time to calm down a little. Maggie imagined they would talk until the battery died if possible.

When he felt strong enough to, Gabriel sat up straight again. Maggie loosened her arms and lifted her head from his shoulder. This time, he turned to look at her and lifted a hand to her face, still holding the phone to his ear. His thumb ran over her moist cheek.

"I met a girl," Gabriel said to Elijah on the phone.

"A girl?" Elijah repeated numbly, wondering if there really was a silver lining in all of this.

"Yes, she's so beautiful," Gabriel said, tucking her hair behind her ear as he did. All twisted grimaces of smiles and puffy eyed moments of her. "I love her. I hope you get meet her someday." That was his new hope. He didn't have to hope for a bunker Mai Tai anymore. Now it would be his brother meeting his love.

"I will, brother," Elijah replied, his voice growing in a new determined confidence. "You know how?"

"How?" Gabriel didn't think it sounded like Elijah was willing to say goodbye.

"You're going to stay safe there. You're going to be careful," Elijah ordered with the authority of an older brother still trying to remain on his feet. "And we are going to call, every week. On this day, at this hour."

"Every week," Gabriel agreed quickly, glancing towards the sun almost gone in the horizon.

"Until it's safe, for however long it takes. Until we find a way," Elijah declared confidently. "And _we will _find a way to get you home. One day you'll come home." It could be year or even ten, but they would figure it out.

Gabriel wiped his eyes and his nose against the back of his hand before nodding. "I look forward to it," He said simply.

When Gabriel finally hit the end button on the phone call, he let out a ragged deep breath. Followed by two more, unsure whether he wanted to scream, laugh or cry. He set the phone down next to the textbook. Immediately, the device chirped with notification that the battery was low.

He turned to Maggie, her expression mirrored the same conflict of emotions. He got confirmation that a lot of people that he knew were dead, some immediate family such as his family. At the same time, there was the hope for the ones that were still alive.

Without a word, he wrapped both arms around Maggie and buried in his face into her neck.


	47. Southern Shower Comfort

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

Anon Gleggie Trolls: You still don't know what a Gary Stu is, you will not change my opinion and you will not change this story. Your reviews will continue to be deleted. But the joke is on you because you're still reading my story and your efforts are pointless.

Guest Star Beckett: But not all of it has to be off the paper! ;D

aSprightlySoar: Oh no! I hope no one thought you were emotionally unstable or something. But that is kind of funny.

M: I couldn't help but throw in a little Maggie/Rebekah love there.

Lmnop: It was fun trying to come up with the modern day spellings for them… Some I couldn't think of one though, like Finn and Elijah.

Thank you guys so much for all the love and support last chapter! It really made my day!

So after reducing everyone to tears last chapter, I think some Mabriel comfort is in order. Also it's been one-month since I started this fic! I can't believe the end is already coming soon.

Here's a Kolie throwback song for this chapter.

PS. This whole chapter is kind of **mature**, so I'm not even going to bother putting the lemon tag on it.

Music: Imagine Dragons - Demons

* * *

Southern Shower Comfort

* * *

Gabriel held onto Maggie tightly with his face in her shoulder, just to have something familiar to hold onto while it all sunk in. It was bittersweet because reality was looking him in the face now. He couldn't pretend that everyone made it out, but the truth was they hadn't. Hell, some of them like Lucy and Bonnie had turned before his very eyes, but he never really gave himself a chance to stop and mourn them. It had always been about staying on the run and surviving.

But now, he could stop and breathe a bit in this prison. And now, he knew part of his family had made it and most of them had not.

His parents were gone. It shook him, but he was also disappointed in himself that it didn't shake him as much as he thought it would. He hadn't been particularly close to either one of them and the last couple of years had been a strain at best since the accident.

"My brother is alive," Gabriel whispered faintly. He didn't say much to Maggie during that time they spent on the roof afterwards but that was one thing. That dawning realization caused Gabriel's shoulders to shake in a way that Maggie couldn't tell if it was with relief or something else. Either way, she just held him fast.

It wasn't until the blanket of darkness was starting to settle over the sky that he calmed down and pulled away from his shoulder. He hadn't really intended to fall apart at the seams in front of her or force her to stay. Hell, he hadn't been expecting the phone to ring.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled, trying to recover himself. "I didn't mean –"

"No!" Maggie said suddenly and rather sharply. It startled Gabriel, lifting his gaze up to meet her fierce emeralds. They were puffy from having been crying as well, but they seemed oddly determined.

Maggie moved her hands up to Gabriel's cheeks, making sure he was looking straight at her. "Don't you dare," She warned him. He wasn't going to apologize for any of this. "I won't let you," She said. Screw males' stubbornness and not wanting to look weak by crying around other people.

Gabriel blinked incredulously and opened his mouth to protest.

Maggie pulled one hand back and pointed a warning finger. "No," She repeated firmly.

His eyes narrowed a little bit on her and instead he went with, "I'm starting to think you enjoy bossing me around…" The faint smirk was weary and tired, but it was there.

"Maybe a little," Maggie agreed, glad to see he was settling down, even if the tears were still on his skin. She dropped her other hand from his face and took the chance to glance towards the edge of the roof.

"Now can we get down from here before we fall off?" She demanded more than asked. It made her nervous the darker it got out.

* * *

Gabriel was unusually quiet, even for his normal demure attitude, and it worried Maggie. She knew what it was like for when she was emotionally exhausted like that. She withdrew and she didn't want to see him doing that.

They went back down to Gabriel's cell and Maggie dropped the backpack with the satellite phone down on his cot. From through the bars, they could see several of the other survivors starting to make their way towards the cafeteria for the dinner serving.

Truthfully, Maggie wasn't feeling particularly hungry and she could see Gabriel's reluctance to join the others. It was one thing for her to pull him by the hand into their cell, that didn't earn as many curious looks as it used to. But she didn't want to broach the subject of announcing what they found to the others just yet.

"Hey, come on," Maggie urged Gabriel from the cell by grabbing his hand. He gave her a confused look but let her tug him out into the hallway. At first, he thought she was just making sure he ate something, until she diverged away from the path that most of the others were taking.

"Uh, Margaret?" Gabriel spoke up when she led them into the communal showers. They had adapted it for the survivors, hanging up various shower curtains for some semblance of privacy and several water jugs were placed throughout the room, rigged up as shower heads.

"Now's a good time as any for that shower, right?" Maggie replied quickly and confidently. Especially with most of the cell block off at dinner, the large space was empty and her voice echoed a little. The shower room was dark with only a few corner lights rigged up and the moonlight filtering through the bars of the window.

She turned to Gabriel and the expression on her face read as if it wasn't open for debate.

To drive her point further, her hands went to the hem of his shirt and forced it up. Stiffly, Gabriel complied while he was mentally torn. Admittedly, he had been in a much more playful mood when he suggested that earlier and he was a little lost on how she thought this was a good idea now.

"Margaret," He sighed after letting her toss his shirt aside. Maggie stared up at him determinedly, refusing to back down from his tone. His eyes couldn't help but follow her movements, especially when she lifted up and tossed her shirt aside next to his.

"I don't think this is…" His voice trailed when her hands were behind her back and the straps came loose on her bra. Just because he stopped in his words, she didn't stop in her actions. He was left torn, between the part of him that just had enough and the part of him staring at her bare chest.

"A good idea," He finished his first sentence, looking back up to her still impassive expression. She stepped right up to him. "I should just," He swallowed the rest of his words when he felt the tug on his belt and her fingers nimbly loosening the buckle.

"You should what?" Maggie challenged, ignoring the rise and fall of his chest and the hands that hovered uncertainly on her waist. Hers pulled the belt through the loops around his jeans while she spoke flatly, "Just be left alone?"

Gabriel drew his eyes up from between their close bodies and chose just to nod instead.

"No," Maggie denied stubbornly and the belt fell with a thud to the growing pile of clothing. "You want me _– us, _together. Right?" She reminded.

Gabriel's brows furrowed, actually focusing on her words more than the hands that were running between the waistline of his pants and boxers. "Of course," He murmured immediately, his hands grasping at her a little firmer. Where was this coming from?

"Then we're in this together," Maggie whispered. They were in it for surviving together, dealing with the walkers, living and this too. "Even the ugly parts," She went with his words for it. "I'm not going to leave you alone, okay?"

Well damn, Gabriel mentally swore to himself.

It was hard to believe there was a time she was afraid of being too close to him. He didn't let it define his decision, but he also had to admit her current state of undress was making it harder for him to articulate a good protest. Especially since she was leaning close enough she could press her body against his, but she didn't. She could lean up and kiss him, but she didn't.

"Okay," Gabriel replied simply.

"Good," Maggie stated and took a pointed step back from Gabriel, towards the sectioned off curtains around the shower behind her. "Now are you going to stand there or are you going to help take my pants off and shower with me?"

Gabriel's mouth fell open a little bit with the crassness of her question. His eyes darted down briefly, noting the boots laced up over her jeans. As if he needed to be asked that twice.

The pair of boots was the next article of clothing to join the pile, followed by Gabriel's and their socks. The jeans were draped unceremoniously across the top of it before the remains of their undergarments were abandoned too. Maggie pulled Gabriel by the upper arms into the stall before pulling the curtain around them.

Despite the obvious assumption of her words, Maggie did actually take her time to simply shower with him.

The splash of water was cool to his skin, not freezing but enough to cause goose bumps to ripple across his skin. It caused him to reflexively draw Maggie closer to him. The touch of her flesh was soothing even for the simple warmth of it.

For all the time they spent talking together, this rare moment she communicated to him with her touch and looks. His eyes wandered up and down her body slowly to her face and back again as the soap was passed back and forth between them. Except it was her hands that ran over his shoulders and down his back, scrubbing away the sweat and tears of the day. They eased the tension out of his muscles, which were knotted up in ways he didn't know until he felt her loosening them up.

In return, his hands wandered over her flesh, washing away the dust and grime from cleaning out the administration building earlier that day. He marked her skin with a chaste kiss after the suds slid away. Soon Maggie pampered him in return with the small gesture of affection along his chest, shoulders, neck and occasionally lips. The shower didn't have the high pressure or temperature control that they used to. Maggie frequently had to turn around and start the pump again, but it was water raining down on them, washing away the burdens around them.

He found himself releasing the thoughts of the phone conversation and focusing on simply this for what it was. When Maggie turned around to restart the pump, Gabriel wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body back against his torso. He pressed his face down into her neck.

"Thank you," He broke the silence between them with the simple whisper.

Maggie's lips picked up into a small grin. She felt the chill of the air around their ankles, the water down their shoulders, their hair clinging to their skin and the warmth of him. For all the pushing and prodding he had done to her since he got here, she wasn't going to let him withdraw and pull away when it was his turn.

She turned her head towards him and Gabriel lifted his face to hers. She answered him with a kiss, in which she felt him feeling more of himself. So much he kissed her with more of his usual confidence. Maggie hummed slightly against his lips at the hand wandering over her stomach and the other up to her breast. A squeeze caused her to gasp and his tongue to slip past her lips.

When he felt himself getting lightheaded for air, Gabriel broke from her lips. He felt her leaning up, trying to catch his lips again. He imagined she would've started whimpering if she didn't hear what he said next, "What you did today… that's not something you do for just anyone."

Maggie's eyes opened and her weight sank back on her heels. She blinked, her mind was a little foggy from the sensations. "No…" She agreed, but didn't know where he was going with that.

"And definitely not someone you're 'just getting to know'," Gabriel said pointedly, leaning back to look at her properly.

"No… Oh," Maggie got it then. Carefully, she turned around in his arms to face him with her hands against his chest. If she didn't know better, she would say he was a little bit offended by her earlier question.

His fingertips slide over the curve of her spine and Gabriel leant in for one more slow and sensual kiss. Despite his growing bodily need, he whispered against hers, "I love you, Margaret… And I think that scares you."

He leant back to look at her, because he wanted to see her face when he said this. "Because there's a chance you're in love with me and you don't know it yet… or you do and that terrifies you." She didn't have anywhere to hide from him here. They were both stripped down and raw, not just physically.

He could see that feeling in the dazed and slightly fearful look she gave him. He saw the way she forced herself to swallow. Her fingers curled anxiously against his skin, but he definitely wasn't letting her go.

Maggie struggled. Natural instinct wanted to lie, just to protect herself from having to admit anything with such a strong emotional connection. But to lie to him right now - when his face was pale, cheeks flushed and water dripping down his face, just like she was – would be the worst slap to the face. He didn't deserve anything less than the truth.

"You're probably right," Maggie gave a faint shrug of her shoulders. Instead she went with, "But either way, it sounds like I need time to sort that out… So let's just focus on today, alright?"

Gabriel smirked. It was a deflection, but another step closer. In the meantime, he intended on making that decision very, very easy for her. He leant forward and caught her lips hungrily. His hands moved down her body, wanting to make sure every inch of flesh was clean and then some.


	48. Devil Comes Knocking

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

So I'm super bummed I didn't get this out before last night, but hey, that's timing for ya! There's about four more chapters left to this story, by the way.

Lmnop: Thank you! She is getting close, but we'll see. Time is definitely a key theme to this story and the sometimes lack of it.

aSprightlySoar: Thank you so much! Yeah, it's definitely nice to see Maggie stand up herself more. I was glad she did that in this past episode (and of course there's parts I'm not happy about but I'm holding my tongue on that).

M: Thanks! I wanted to make sure it wasn't just Gabriel always taking care of Maggie and she prove she can do the same. I'm still bitter about this week's episode haha.

Peeping Beckett: Thank you! I did actually have some cake to celebrate… or emotionally eat, same thing.

Music: Sharon Van Etten – Serpents

* * *

Devil Comes Knocking

* * *

Getting Maggie to admit her feelings for him actually proved to be harder than he thought as the days went by. They ticked by faster than he realized, just because of the amount of work that needed to be done around the prison. Reinforcements around the fence, especially the parts that were sagging from pressure of walker crowds, and clearing out the administration building was the top priorities. There were whisperings of possibly another supply run coming up as well.

Maggie was the constant through those days, and admittedly the highlight with their new found relationship. It wasn't perfect, because they both actively avoided Glenn at all costs. It wasn't lost on them the quiet and ominous looks he gave them, but that was it. They were simply looks.

There were the mornings that Maggie woke up to gentle caresses and tender kisses from Gabriel. Part of it was just an attempt to get her to finally succumb. After a while though, he figured out she was holding out on him partly just to taunt him.

There were the times they took their time getting out of bed, whether it was the guard tower or in his cell, but the truth was most mornings were like this one.

Where Gabriel was alerted to consciousness by a tickling on his face. At first he wrinkled his nose, trying to get rid of it. Then his mouth twitched this way and that, still to no success. It was too early to be awake, but the longer that faint prickling sensation was on his face, it was harder to ignore. He kept his eyes squeezed shut stubbornly, trying to will it away.

Finally, he let out a huff, trying to blow it away. There was a small groan in front of him.

"Gabe," Maggie protested, mumbling without lifting her face from the pillow or opening her eyes. She really didn't like the sudden puff of air against the back of her neck.

The first time the nickname had slipped from her lips, it nearly caused Gabriel to trip over his feet. No one outside his family had called him that in a long time. But he didn't say anything, he figured it was only fair for calling her Margaret.

"Your hair is attacking my face," Gabriel whined behind her.

Maggie shifted her head, but he couldn't tell if it was to get the hair out of his face or just get more comfortable. "Sounds like a national crisis," She said back to him dryly instead.

Gabriel gave up trying to sleep. His arm lifted up from her waist and Maggie pulled the covers up around her shoulders to make up for the loss of warmth. He wanted to roll over onto his back, but he realized he was on his side and almost pressed up against the wall. He pushed himself up on his shoulders and glanced around indignantly at the sources of the limited bed space.

"Great," Gabriel cleared his throat tiredly, looking down at the pup lying on top of their feet. "Now, I have two females in my life that hog the bed and shed everywhere." He ruffled up his hair while glancing at the clock too.

This caused Maggie's eyes to open and she rolled over onto her back. Because you know, she had plenty of room to herself. "I do not shed!" She gasped out. She couldn't deny the first accusation.

Gabriel cocked his head suspiciously at her. He glanced down to the pillows they have been sharing lately. He picked up a hair off from it that was much too long to be his or Rocky's. "No?" He mused aloud.

Maggie gave him a bleary eyed glare. She was silent a moment before backpedaling. "Yeah, well… you fart in your sleep," She threw out.

Gabriel took it. He thought about it and about a second later he just shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn't bother me," He decided while Maggie was pulling back the covers and starting to get out of bed. Maggie scoffed and rolled her eyes while she sat up.

The disturbance was enough to cause Rocky to get up as well. The pup let out a sloppy chop licking noise before deciding they were boring and going to find some food.

Finally, he had the space back to his bed. Gabriel stretched out with back cracking and toe curling satisfaction. Maggie just shook her head the way he looked like a waking feline of some sort. She was about to stand when a hand caught her wrist.

With a tug Gabriel pulled her down to him, she let out a gasp and threw her other hand down against the mattress catch herself. His other arm looped around the back of her head, pulling her into a kiss. He could feel her grinning against his before she returned.

"Good morning," He murmured sleepily. As if he would let her leave the bed with anything less.

* * *

Gabriel caught up with Maggie later in the day at the prison library. After the long week, they decided to take it easy that afternoon. They were ignorant to the pair of headlights that came barreling down the dirt road towards the prison. They weren't there while Rick and Carl were sent sprinting towards the main gate, to open it in time for the military convoy truck before the few stray walkers outside the fences crowded around it.

Instead, they were sitting on a pile of blankets and pillows in the story telling area with their backs against a book shelf. Maggie was more leaning into Gabriel's side. Each had a book in hand and Maggie was just trying to enjoy a quiet afternoon. It was a little cooler in the library and it felt nice to get out of the direct heat.

She was trying to focus on her book. She really was. But she kept staring at the same paragraph blankly, over and over. She blamed it on the hand that rested firmly on her thigh with his thumb running in absent circles. A few quick glances from the corner of her eye and she couldn't tell if he even realized he was doing it.

No, he couldn't have. He seemed pretty engrossed by his book. Maggie shifted her legs a bit, trying to get more comfortable and shrug off the feeling. It just caused his hand to sink further down on her thigh and he didn't stop.

Maggie sighed and tried to start the paragraph over again. After a few minutes, she realized there was a distinct lack of noise in the air. Like the sound of someone turning a page. "You're not really reading either, are you?" She finally blurted out.

"Nope, not really," Gabriel answered without even batting an eye. He dropped the book down in his lap only half interested.

Maggie snorted and a grin picked up on her lips. She earmarked her page and decided to set it aside. "What are you thinking about?" She didn't think he was distracted for the same reason she was.

"Calling Elijah tomorrow," Gabriel said hopefully. Maggie couldn't deny the way Gabriel's eyes lit up at the mention of his family. The second time he called them, she had expected he would want to do it in private, but she was there for it. He talked more that time, telling his brother more about where he was set up and looking to Maggie to fact check how the prison really started up.

"What about you?" Gabriel turned the question around.

Maggie opened her mouth, but clamped right shut afterwards. She glanced down towards his hand in her lap. She shook her head instead. "Oh, nothing," She denied quickly.

"Nothing?" Gabriel began to smirk, setting his book aside and suddenly taking an interest in what had Maggie blushing. His hand squeezed a little tighter on her thigh to keep her from squirming away from him.

She looked up coyly at him, but didn't get a chance to respond before the library doors opened. The crowd of people that followed was overwhelming to the still silence. Gabriel had a hard time picking out what all the voices were saying because it seemed like every able bodied inside person of the prison was gathering.

There was Daryl, Rick, Hershel, Tyreese and Sasha in the forefront with the newly arrived Michonne. Carol and Zach trailed behind the others, even with Glenn and Caleb. Carl was tagging behind them with Beth on their heels.

"What's going on?" Gabriel asked while Maggie rose to her feet next to him. Everyone seemed in a hurry and no one batted an eye at the couple in the corner of the room. The only one that gave them a venomous look was Glenn. Beth still wasn't entirely pleased about it, but she made up with Zach and was starting to tolerate it.

"Council meeting right now!" Daryl declared, turning around and giving a very pointed glare towards the younger members in the room.

Whatever it was, it seemed like trouble. Despite Maggie's reluctance, Gabriel reached her hand and intended to file out the library doors and give the Council privacy. Several chairs were scraping and people were gathered around the map that Michonne carried under her arm.

"No!" Rick protested against Daryl. "Stay," He pointed towards Gabriel and Maggie. The couple stopped in their steps like a deer on pavement.

"Everyone needs to hear this," Rick stated, his eyes passing over every surviving member in the room. "This isn't just about the Council. This affects all of us."

His voice was loud and commanding of authority. No one objected either, because their natural human curiosity to know what was going on. Tyreese and Hershel were already hovering by the table while Michonne was already unrolling the map.

"What did you find?" Daryl asked, leaning around her shoulder at the first chance.

"You know that trail that supposedly went cold?" Michonne spoke in a low and quiet tone that silenced most of the room just trying to hear her. She looked up meaningfully at Daryl though.

"Yeah," Daryl grunted out without a thought. Michonne continued to stare at him and there was a pause before he said, "Shit, are you serious?"

Michonne gave one nod. "And it's coming right back to us," She clarified, as they spoke.

Daryl let out another swear, he exchanged a look with Rick and Hershel. Other than the Altanta survivors, the rest were left mostly confused.

"What are you talking about?" Tyreese spoke up first. The crowd around the table gathered. Gabriel and Maggie remained a few steps back, like the younger members and Glenn did. The route on the map highlighted the path Michonne took, which included back tracking upstate to Gabriel's advice.

"The Governor," Michonne answered in a lethal tone. "He's back and it looks like he's gearing up to bring hell with him."


	49. With Your Permission

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

DarylDixon's Lover: Thank you!

Senator Beckett: Nice snag there last chapter! I fixed that typo. Thanks!

Lmnop: Thank you very much! I had to add a little fluff because everything from here out is angst.

M: Yeah, this isn't going to end well.

I'm not even going to say much about this chapter, just read and absorb! But let me know what you think afterwards, of course!

Music: Voxhaul Broadcast – You Are The Wilderness

* * *

With Your Permission

* * *

"How many are we looking at?" Rick asked, running an agitated hand against his beard.

"Ten, no more than a dozen," Michonne answered him, leaning over the table across from him. Most of the adults were still in the library gathered around them as she divulged the details of the threat. A dozen wasn't much compared to the numbers they had at the prison, but it was the heat they were packing that had Michonne worried. Christ, the last time the Governor came to the prison, he had a rocket launcher.

"It looked like they were holing up for the night at those stacks," Michonne pointed out the location out on the map in front of them. She was relieved she had snuck away before she found her. Rick and the others leant closer to the map. It was the same place they had met for negotiations and Merle had been killed. "I would guess they're preparing to head this way at first dawn."

There was a tense silence at the group weighed the ramifications of the fight being so close and so soon.

"So we can have a fight on our hands, as early as tomorrow morning?" Hershel vocalized aloud, glancing towards the late afternoon sun.

Rick gave a nod and there was a loud swear from Daryl.

"Then we should bring the fight to them," Glenn spoke up, taking a step closer to the table. He had been hanging back until now, but he still cared about the prison. He had been there for the destruction the first time.

Several heads turned in his direction. "Before they bring it to us," Glenn reaffirmed. There was a chorus of groans and protests around the table.

"And what? Chase them in the dark?" Daryl shot back dismissively. Everyone knew how foolish it was to take off after them so late in the day. There wasn't just the people in the woods to worry about, but the walkers. "Dumbest idea," Daryl scoffed and muttered the rest under his breath.

"Hey," Gabriel chimed in and couldn't believe he was about to say this, but he did. "He actually has a point."

Gabriel wasn't sure if everyone stopped and stared at him because of what he said or because he agreed with the least likely person in the prison. Maggie's expression twisted incredulously at Gabriel and even Glenn pulled his head back a bit.

"There's no advantage to the fight being here or there," Gabriel pointed out, both parties knew these locations. The prison had the most to lose. "But they don't know that we know where they are, right?" He got an affirmative nod from Michonne. "The element of surprise might be our only saving grace in this." The only chance to reduce the casualties as much as possible.

"You mean, like catch them off guard in their sleep or something?" Tyreese wondered aloud. Gabriel shrugged his shoulders.

"How soon would we have to leave to do that?" Tyreese turned to Rick and Michonne with the map, starting to think that could be the best idea in a bad situation.

* * *

Rick gave one hour for everyone before they would meet again and prepare to leave. It was an hour for word to spread through the prison and for people to be given a chance to volunteer to go. He wasn't going to force anyone to fight, but he was going to give them a chance if they wanted to. After everything that happened at Woodbury, everyone had a stake in this.

That hour proved to be turmoil for Gabriel and Maggie.

Any chance of Maggie going was staunched by Rick. He wanted some people he trusted to stay back, to watch over the prison. So Maggie had to stay along with Carol, Hershel and Carl.

It wasn't a question whether or not Gabriel would go. He still remembered seeing his friends on their knees before they gunned down. He went to the ammunition cage with a few of the others to inventory what they could spare and what they should bring.

Gabriel half listened to Rick and Daryl talking about letting Glenn go.

"You sure it's a good idea?" Daryl loaded a clip of bullets while he squinted at the Sheriff. Granted, Glenn hadn't done anything lately, but Daryl was still suspicious.

Rick shook his head, staring down at his own work. "No," He said, he wasn't sure. "But how can I tell him he has to stay?" He countered. He knew if he was in his shoes, it wouldn't be fair to tell him he had to stay back.

"After what the Governor has done to him," Rick kept his voice low in the ammunition cage, tilting his head pointedly with his words. "To Maggie," He added, knowing the scars still remained with those two after being kidnapped by Merle.

That caused Gabriel to freeze and his eyes to go sharply to the two men who weren't looking at him.

Wait a minute, what did the Governor do to Maggie?

* * *

"Please say something, Gabriel," Maggie had her arms folded over her chest. The two stood inside the garage where the vehicles were parked. Naturally, Gabriel sought her out right away to ask what Rick and Daryl were talking about. She couldn't lie to him about this. She told him in the shortest and bluntest way of what happened. She didn't need to get into detail. Gabriel's imagination provided enough details for him.

Now, she was biting her lip while the emotions played through him. His agitation showed in the way his hands ruffled up his hair and his shoulders shook with tension.

He was angry, livid just thinking about it.

"I just…" He sputtered and shook his head, not even knowing where to begin. Every protective fiber in his being wanted to strangle the bastard then and there. He was also angry with himself, thinking of the one-eyed freak and what he had done to his friends… And Gabriel had hidden like a coward to save his own ass.

He felt a little bit sick too, because now it made sense. Now he got why Glenn acted the way he did towards Maggie. Now he knew why she still raised her chin in defiance to the world.

"I should have killed him," Gabriel grumbled out. Generally, he wasn't the type of person to resort to something like this, but this case was a special occasion. He should have gunned the bastard down months ago.

Maggie sighed, but didn't argue with him, choosing to let him vent the frustration. She didn't need to point out that killing him then wouldn't have changed what already happened.

And that wasn't exactly what she meant by say something either.

But the difference between him and Glenn came when Gabriel turned around abruptly and gathered her in his arms. He clutched to her tightly, his fingers curling against the back of her head. Maggie inhaled sharply in surprise at the swift gesture, but relieved from it.

Gabriel felt sympathetic to her, but he didn't want to pity her. That was the only reason why he didn't tell her he was sorry. But yet, he was also relieved that she was still here today. Things could have ended a lot worse and he was still able to hold her and love her.

But that wasn't enough to leave it alone. "But if I have the chance," He wasn't sure how this would all go down in the end. "With your permission," His whisper in her ear drew a chill from Maggie, "I would like to kill him."

It wasn't just about him and his friends anymore. This had gotten personal on a new level and he couldn't be selfish about it.

Maggie just gave a faint nod against his shoulder. She didn't know what to tell him. Killing someone wasn't something she wanted to do, but if that's what it took…

* * *

The hour ticked by quickly. Gabriel spent a good portion calming down before the final group meeting. Maggie noticed how quiet and serious he grew. There was the edge in the group of the brewing fight, and then there was the deeper conflict for those who had more personally been affected by the Governor.

It wasn't a surprise that nearly all of the Atlanta survivors volunteered to go or contribute in some way. Tyreese, Sasha and Karen were amongst the others that joined. Gabriel was surprised that several from the Decatur group also volunteered to go. Grand total, it looked they would have to take three vehicles, relaying on the military convoy truck carrying the most people.

The loading up of the trucks with the guns and ammunition was also the chance for loved ones to say goodbye. Naturally, Rick spent a few moments with Carl and Judith, being held by Beth. Rick insisted on Carl staying, despite the teen's stubbornness. Karen and Tyreese hung by each other, having both volunteered to go. Daryl traded a few quick words with Carol. Zach tried to get a goodbye out of Beth, to no avail.

Glenn continued to load up the trucks with a weary Michonne keeping an eye on him.

Maggie ran her hands up and down Gabriel's forearms, not wanting him to leave, but knowing it wasn't her place to tell him to stay. It would just make her a hypocrite after everything.

"You better be careful," Maggie warned him with Gabriel's forehead almost leaning against hers. He smirked slightly at her authoritative voice. His hands clutched to her hips tightly. He had his sniper rifle slung over his shoulder and the black jacket he arrived in, for the night ride.

He didn't want to peel himself away from her, but there was only so long he could hold onto her before he had to go.

"I will," He murmured back to her. A thought occurred to him and he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Hey," He said softly, pulling out the small satellite phone to show to her. "If we don't get back tomorrow in time, will you talk to Elijah? Let him know I'm on my way?" He asked of her. You never know what could hold them up along the way.

"Of course," Maggie replied, wrapping her fingers around the plastic and taking it hesitantly. She tried to shake the apprehensive feeling. "But you'll be back to tell him yourself," She practically ordered him.

A small smile played on Gabriel's lips at her spirit. He reached one hand up from her waist to tuck her hair behind her ear. It was getting so long now. "I love you," He whispered to her before leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, not bothering to wait for a response.

Maggie's hands tightened on his jacket during the kiss, not wanting to let him go, but she had to. He pulled back and started to take a step away from her. "Gabriel, wait!" She blurted out.

The Aussie halted in his movements, his expression drawing blank with curiosity.

Maggie bit the inside of her cheek anxiously. Part of her blurted out on impulse, just to delay him leaving a little bit longer. But another part of her, wanted to say something she had spent a lot of time thinking about. However, now that he stood before her, on the edging of leaving, she wondered if she would be saying it for the right reasons.

"I…" She hesitated. Her gut wanted to spill it, but was that just because she was emotional and caught up in the moment?

Gabriel held a hand up to stop her. "Whatever it is," He said, seeing how conflicted she was. "Think about it and if you still want to say it, tell me when I get back." He suggested.

Maggie's shoulders sagged with a sigh and she just gave a numb nod. His jacket slipped through her fingers and Gabriel gave her one last reassuring smirk before heading towards the vehicles.

He was right. She could just tell him when he got back, when he wasn't rushing off to danger and they could enjoy exactly what it meant. But even with that idea, the niggling feeling in her gut wondered if she should have told him anyway.


	50. In Their Name

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

I highly suggest everyone listens to this breathtaking cover of this song on YouTube for this chapter. There's a super evil cliffhanger at the end of this, I know, but hey it happens. I want to hear your theories on who shot who!

Music: Jessica Allossery – The Scientist (Coldplay Cover)

* * *

In Their Name

* * *

"Where exactly were the vehicles parked?" Rick asked of Michonne for clarification. The group had left the prison shortly afterwards. After a couple of hours of driving, they pulled over on the highway to double check the plan of attack. Everyone had to be on the same page for it to work. Besides, after they pulled off the highway, they would have to do a little off road driving to circle around the target location without drawing attention.

The group would also have to split up.

"Here and here," Michonne pointed out the respective spots on the map spread out on the hood of the pickup truck. Glenn, Gabriel and Daryl were amongst the ones peering over their shoulders for clarification. The main concern was overpowering the Governor's group before they were alerted to what was going on and could get to the military vehicles they picked up along the road. One of them of them had a torrent gun that could quickly turn things into a bloodbath.

Rick nodded. "Alright, Daryl – you'll take the woods here," He pointed out the corner of the way they were going to surround the site. "Glenn – this building here," He pointed out the next and then finally to Gabriel, "And Gabriel in the one opposite from it." The best shooters would take the corners, to make sure no one got away.

Gabriel exchanged a look with the other shooters. One he trusted to cover his back and the other he had to trust that he hated the Governor more than their personal dispute.

"The rest of us will come from the east here," Rick explained, pointing out where the vehicles were allegedly located. "And try to cut them off from there."

Gabriel nodded, letting his mind going to the task at hand and feeling like he was receiving orders again. He kept quiet and listened carefully to the directions Rick proceeded to give everyone.

* * *

Daryl, Glenn and Gabriel broke off from the main group, going their separate ways. For a while, Gabriel and Glenn headed in the same general direction. They didn't say much to each other, but maybe that was because each man was clutching their gun protectively. It was to keep an eye out for walkers, but the unspoken fact went between them, to keep an eye on the other one.

They had to dispatch a few walkers with knives before Gabriel went his separate way from Glenn. Needless to say, he was relieved to be away from him. He still remembered his conversations with Maggie and the things he had done, but maybe the time spent in the cell had done him some good. The rest of the group certainly had better hopes than Gabriel did.

He sensed someone was following him. He wasn't quite sure how, but he had that hair standing on the back of his neck feeling. It was confirmed by the snapping of a twig on the ground behind him. Gabriel whirled on his feet, flashlight in one hand and pistol for close range in the other.

It wasn't Glenn behind him, but the person that was caused him to let out a loud swear.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Gabriel lowered his gun, feeling like his heart was about to drop to the ground as well. "Carl? What the fuck are you doing out here?"

Normally he wouldn't swear at him like this, but Gabriel thought he was justified.

"Isn't it obvious?" The cheeky little kid countered him. He had his pistol, silencer and all with the stained and battered Sheriff's hat on his head.

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. He loved the kid, but he really wanted to strangle him right now. This wasn't what he needed to be dealing with right now. Didn't he realize this wasn't just a school field trip? "How did you get out here?" Gabriel asked, he knew that Rick would never let him.

"I snuck in the bed of the pickup when no one was looking," Carl admitted frankly.

Gabriel's hand ran down from his hair to over his eyes. This kid, he swore. Crafty, but he so did not appreciate it right now. "And I don't suppose you'll listen to me if I tell you to go back to the truck," Gabriel snapped out. He didn't need to add looking after Carl on top of his duties.

The youth just gave him an obvious look.

"Alright, fine," Gabriel sighed, not sure what other options he had. "Come on," He nodded his head. "You're going to cover the back of the buildings for me and Glenn, got it?" He made himself very clear and direct.

"Make sure no walkers sneak up on us and I swear to God, Carl, you better stay out of sight," Gabriel waved the flashlight warningly at him.

A grin picked up on the younger Grimes', eager to see that Gabriel wasn't going to try to rat him out to his father somehow.

* * *

The building that Gabriel had to post in was really more of a shack. There was one sheet metal rusting scrap of a door on it, but several rickety and crooked windows. At least he understood while Rick picked this spot to perch a sniper. He shifted through the boxes and maneuvered himself into a decent position. It was hard to do so in the darkness and making sure that no walkers snuck up on him.

The worst part about these plans that many people overlooked was the waiting and wondering. It was even worse than the missions he had been on. At least before the world went to shit, he could radio back to the rest of the troops. Now he was flying blind and hoping that everyone else was sticking to their end of the plan.

The only reassurance he had was the occasional shadow from Carl sneaking in and out of his building. Surprisingly, the kid was taking his newly assigned duty from Gabriel more seriously than the Aussie anticipated. He just prayed to God he wouldn't get hurt because of it. Gabriel didn't need that on his conscious on top of everything else.

For now, he was left waiting for the last remaining hours of the night to fade away. Rick said the signal would come just at the break of dawn, when it was barely bright enough to see what they were shooting at. Gabriel didn't know what the signal was, but Rick said he would know it when he heard it. The heads would start popping out of the tent and the rest would be like a game of Wack-a-mole.

* * *

Martinez had the last watch shift of the night, but it wasn't like he slept anyway. Since that day, he had a bad feeling about the company him and Shuppert kept. But this was the end of the world, it wasn't like they had a whole lot of options. The other seven men they picked up along the way didn't seem to have anything better going for them either.

They listened to Governor and what he promised. They hung onto the idea of a prison that was safe with fences and ready to be taken.

He walked around the collection of tents huddled between the buildings, which provided cover for their campsite fire earlier in the night. It was almost time to wake the others and prepare for the fight. He did one last round and cut through the vehicles. He came around the backside of the Humvee and the automatic weapon atop of it.

That wasn't what caused him to stop in his tracks though. It was the three sets of flashlights that went to his face. He squinted against the brightness.

"Oh shit," He muttered, seeing all the faces staring back at him. Instead of the finger going to his trigger of his gun, he held it up in the air as an act of surrender.

"Hand over your gun," A female voice whispered fiercely.

Martinez didn't like this, but he wasn't an idiot. Hesitantly, he offered his pistol to one of them. He didn't recognize the two males that were Zach and another Decatur boy.

"Karen?" Martinez realized with numb shock when her flashlight pulled from his face. He could have sworn she was shot with all the others.

"Turn around," Karen said instead of acknowledging him.

Martinez swallowed thickly. He followed the order slowly, just because he traveled with the Governor, didn't mean he agreed with the crazy bastard. He reached to put his hands behind his head. Before he could completely, Karen used the butt of the pistol he just handed over to bash him in the back of the head.

* * *

The signal came in the form of Pearl Jam's "Last Kiss" suddenly blurring through the radio system of the Humvee. It was followed shortly by Karen at the top of the massive vehicle, ready and on the trigger while Zach smirked from the cab at his cassette suggestion.

Gabriel startled from rubbing his hands together, to keep his fingers from getting chilled to look at the source of the music through his scope. The reaction was slow at first, but he could see movement amongst the tents.

The first two heads appeared in seconds, mostly rising in slow confusion.

The first one fell suddenly with a bolt in the head coming from the direction Daryl's direction. Gabriel smirked and his finger squeezed the trigger with the second in his crosshairs.

* * *

Chaos broke out from that point on and he had trouble keeping track of everything going on.

Only a few seconds of rounds being discharged from the machine gun fired before Karen was toppled off of the Humvee. Voices became distinguishable in the barrage of gun fire that started to shed upon both sides. More figures emerged from the woods with Rick at the forefront of them.

Tyreese overtook the lead, letting out an animalistic hollow of pain and anger at seeing what happened to Karen. He threw himself towards the first tent and the occupant that struggling to get out.

Gabriel caught a brief sighting of Zach slumping over against the side of the Humvee, clutching to his shoulder before he took two more bullets to the chest.

Michonne sliced through a scruffy man covered in faded tattoos, in the name of the friend she had lost because of the Governor.

Rick fired his Sheriff issued pistol in the name of the suffering and the pain that the tormenting from this man had caused.

* * *

Glenn sat in his perch, the barrel of his rifle peeking through some boards nailed over the window. His finger was on the trigger, but he didn't squeeze it. His mind struggled to keep up with how quickly everything was happening. In the matter of seconds, people were falling on each side. Screams of pain were filling the air. He heard the pops of gun fire, but they weren't in his direction.

He kept his eye on the tents, just waiting to spot him. To spot the man that hurt what mattered to him the most.

He spotted him standing up from his tent, stepping out into the breaking dawn with a pistol in the air and no fear in his demeanor. Glenn clenched his jaw, drawing the one-eyed monster into his scope. His finger hovered over his trigger while he tried to follow the Governor's movements, waiting for the chance he stopped.

He remembered what Rick told the shooters earlier. "_We're relying on you out there, be careful and make every shot count."_

He wasn't the only one out there. Rick had told them, don't take any chances and take the Governor out if you have the chance. He couldn't be the only one that saw him. Glenn moved the scope off towards his right, following the line of tents and the building to his opposite.

* * *

Gabriel just about jumped out of his seat when he spotted the figure donned in the black trench coat. His back was to him, but he knew who it was. He leant forward in the window, bringing the backside of his head into his aim.

* * *

"_Every shot you take is a risk of exposing your position."_

Glenn spotted the familiar black barrel through the window. He waited and counted two seconds in his head before the tuft of brown hair came into sight as well. From his angle, he could see Gabriel's shoulders and arms hunched around the sniper rifle, not even looking in his direction.

"_And try not to get caught in the cross fire."_

Boy, Glenn thought to himself, it sure would be a shame if Gabriel didn't make it back. It would be so easy to be struck by a stray bullet from the group coming in from the east.

The man that hurt what mattered most to Glenn wasn't the same man that had taken away what mattered most to him. She would cry over him for a little while, but after that he would be there to take back what was his.

Glenn's finger squeezed the trigger.

In that moment, four men fired their guns.

One went down with a graze to the shoulder.

The other fell with a bullet through the chest.

But none of them saw the fourth man come up and put a bullet in the head of the last one.


	51. The End is the Beginning

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

**ATTENTION: READ THIS NOTE BEFORE READING THIS CHAPTER**

**THIS IS THE ALTERNATE ENDING.** There are two endings for this story. **ONLY** read this ending if you've read **IRISH ROSE** in its entirety. If you have** NOT**, you **WILL** be lost so please just** SKIP** this chapter and wait for the main ending and epilogue.

A full explanation of **BOTH **endings will be provided **after **the epilogue.

* * *

The End is the Beginning

* * *

_[James Blunt – Goodbye My Lover]_

The impact caused his shoulder to be thrown back. The pistol slipped through his fingers immediately and he fell down to his knee. It felt like his side had been ripped open brutally. His other hand went to clutch his shoulder. He blinked and barely processed rolling onto his back from the ground.

A snarl and growl of pain passed through his lips. But then he felt something cold and sharped pressed to his throat. The Governor opened his one remaining good eye to the sight of a sword starting to cut into his skin and the point of a crossbow at his face.

He pulled his bloodied hand away from his shoulder weakly, holding up his hand in surrender to the brother and close friend of ones he had murdered.

* * *

The gun felt hot in his hands from the single shot that he fired. He had to lower it quite a bit because of the angle. He wasn't sure what to expect when he snuck into this building. He had been told to cover their backs and that was what he was doing. It looked like he had been upholding his end of his duties, but something was off. The direction of his barrel wasn't right.

And it only took Carl a few moments to realize what he was aiming at. There could only be one person in that building.

And now standing over the huddled form of someone who had been with them from the beginning, Carl couldn't believe it. He had been there from day one in Atlanta, for almost two years now. Even minus the effect of what he had just done, Carl didn't recognize this person anymore.

The splatter of blood, bone fragments and brains on the wall behind Glenn made it even more surreal.

Regardless of who Glenn was now, Gabriel was one of their own. Carl found him pointing that rifle at one of their own and firing it. He was a threat. Carl had to do what he did. That's exactly what he told himself and that's what he would tell anyone without regret.

Remembering the one Glenn had fired at, Carl turned on his heel and ducked out of the building.

* * *

It felt like a kick to the chest and so much worse. Gabriel lost his grip on the sniper rifle immediately, barely noticing the shot that fired off in reaction. His body jerked and shuddered. The wooden crates shuffled and toppled over in the way Gabriel slumped down to the floor. He hardly paid attention to the way the rifle fell to the ground in a clatter.

Gabriel was panting, his back ending up against the wall on the floor. His head swayed this way and that, struggling to keep up with the shock to his body. His muscles cramped up in his legs and arms.

A hand went to the source of the pain, the blinding pain that was causing flashes across his vision. He pulled it away and all he saw was red. It hurt so damn bad too.

Gabriel tried to think, but there was little thought to be had to the short, but agonizing moments there were.

He felt his feet and hands starting to go cold. One rational thought entered his mind and sickening realization. He wouldn't be getting up and walking away from this, even if the world hadn't gone to shit.

Even if he wasn't alone in this run down coop of a building, left bleeding in the dusty and grimy floor. Each second, he could move a little bit less of his body.

For a morbid moment, he closed his eyes and pictured her face. Those green eyes, the way he looked at her that day in those woods, and the way she smiled when he told her how he felt. Briefly, he wondered what it was that she wanted to say to him.

He remembered the look on her face as she told him to talk to Elijah and let him know he was okay.

Gabriel coughed a wet and gurgling noise. It was probably better he couldn't see the red stain on his lips. A shaking hand reached unsteadily into the inside pocket of his jacket.

A little blood smeared from his fingers onto the glossy piece of paper. His thumb wiped it away from the face of that cheeky smile grinned back at him. Two brothers stood in fatigues with their arms over each other's shoulders.

"See you soon, baby bro," Gabriel strained to get the words out, but he did. He stared down at that identical face as he felt things get a little blurry. His peripheral failed him before the rest of his vision and Gabriel's hand slumped forward.

* * *

_[Natalie Walker – Right Here]_

He woke with a sharp gasp, borderline shout. His shoulders heaved and his body jerked forward. His knees butted against the chair in front of him. The restraint across his lap was the only thing that kept him in the seat. He could have snapped out of it easily enough, but his eyes were too busy darting around trying to figure out where the hell he was.

His hand went over his chest, right where it hurt like hell. Except he wasn't in some run down shack in the middle of Nowhere, Georgia. He was greeted by the beige plastic of a folded seatback tray. The overwhelming humming and vibrations assaulted his senses. Even all that wasn't nearly as important as remembering what was going on.

In a fit of panic, he yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and checked his canine teeth in the glare of the screen.

Abnormally elongated: Check.

The same fingers went to his neck, feeling around.

"No pulse," He muttered and sank back in his seat. "Oh thank god," He exclaimed in a sigh of relief. His hands went to his hair, ruffling up the brown locks before running down his face.

What a horrible nightmare. He hated how realistic they were getting every century. That was the last time he was taking half a bottle of Benadryl to sedate himself through a flight.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mikaelson. Are you okay?" The human, a woman in a faint pin stripped business suit sat next to him. She stared at him in a dazed glaze of compelled concern.

"No," Kol snapped out in irritation. Normally he wasn't one for compulsion therapy, but this was an exception. God, he could still hear the gunfire in his mind and smell the death in the air. "I dreamt I was human," His mind curled up in disgust at the very thought of being mortal again.

"And I was shot!" He exclaimed in indignantly. He didn't even get to see by who, too! "Why is it always in the chest?" He went on incredulously whining, he rubbed a hand where he swear he could almost still feel it. "Why can't I have a limp maimed for a change?" First his father, countless times by Niklaus and now this.

The compelled blonde stared at him blankly. "Would feeding help?" She offered, pulling back her sleeve and exposing her already bitten into wrist to him. The flight attendant had said this flight had complimentary beverage service and he took that very seriously.

"Put that away," Kol snapped out immediately in frustration, "before I have to compel the first class cabin again." God knows he had enough trouble getting this damn plane out of Denver in the first place.

He proceeded to ignore the human after that. He hated the confined space of this place. He hated the dry and poorly conditioned air quality. He hated the way his ears were popping from this retched experience. It was much too cramped in here.

He tried not to think about the flight and focus on that dream. It was so vivid and real. Of course, he could chalk that up to being alive as long as he had. His dreams got unnervingly real at times. He squinted, staring at the shade of the window (He didn't dare open it and see how fast or high they were).

And that woman. The relationship he had with this human was certainly interesting… But it was obviously the product of a hundred years of sexual frustration from being stuffed in a coffin during that time.

Kol's thoughts were interrupted by the captain of the plane coming over the PDA and announcing their imminent approach to Chicago O'Hare airport. He swore, he would never fly in another plane again after this.

He felt a shudder from the plane and another foreign hum. "Oi!" Kol nearly shouted. "What was that?" He looked his compelled flight companion.

"It was the landing gear, sir," The human answered him calmly with a sweet smile. She didn't know that it sounded so much louder to the Original.

* * *

_[Timbaland ft. Katy Perry – If We Ever Meet Again]_

With each conscious moment Kol fixated on the current, the dream slipped further and further away from him. He had trouble remember who he was supposed to be in that dream when the wheels were touching down on the tarmac. His white knuckling of the armrests caused the plastic to splinter.

He had trouble remembering if it was a prison or a detention center he had been living at. The little details slipped away before the large ones, like the ones about a family that seemed similar to his own, but still very different. He planned on giving Niklaus a call as soon as he got off this plane and giving him an earful for his supposed advice.

Kol tapped his foot anxiously, staring at that little light above the seats -the one that vaguely resembled a seat buckle. He glared at it harshly, never so anxious to see a little turn off while the flight attendants fumbled with the latch of the plane.

It dinged and Kol shot out of his seat, breaking the buckle of the seat belt in the process.

The dream just seemed like a subconscious blip in his mind when he was on the phone, marching briskly up the ramp from the plane to the main gate area. Niklaus had answered the phone on the second ring and Kol started snapping at him in the first breath.

"Was that your idea of a joke?" Kol snapped at the hybrid. That was the last time he was going to try to compel himself into first class or go anywhere near a plane.

"No more than that wolfsbane I recall you putting my paints, brother," Niklaus chirped back at him and Kol made a mental note the beat the pretentiousness out of him later.

Niklaus went on to whine about the problems in Virginia. As if Kol hadn't enough problems, he was the one that just got beat up with his own baseball bat by the Salvatore dog! The Original pinched the bridge of his nose as he came to the top of the ramp.

He could already hear all the voices and the heartbeats. Honestly, this century was purely overwhelming with the amount of people that could cram into one confined space.

Kol emerged still on the phone and rolling his eyes from the gate with several other passengers. He vaguely paid attention to the flight attendant at the podium that was reassuring the passengers of the delayed Atlanta flight they would be reboarding the plane soon.

He had just walked by the first row of anxious awaiting passengers when a particular line of chatter stood out from the rest on his ears.

"What do you mean he _bit _Shawn?" A feminine voice hissed out.

Kol halted immediately in his steps. Bite? That was either referring to his species or that infection Niklaus had been warning him about. The brunet turned around and spotted the source in a young female sitting ten yard away from him in one of the blue seats.

With her body half turned away from him, Kol ignored his brother on the phone and only numbly used his senses to listen to her phone conversation. She was asking an older man about taking this Shawn to the hospital. But Kol was more interested in her, he stared numbly at the profile of her. His eyes passed up and down her body.

It seemed so damn familiar.

As if sensing someone watching her, the young woman turned in her seat towards Kol. Her gaze picked up from the floor to him.

There it was.

That girl with the short brown hair from his dream. It was shorter than he remembered it. She was different than he recalled, but it had to be her. She had those emerald eyes, which were currently mustering the best "_What the hell are you looking at?"_ stare he's seen in a while.

Almost feeling flustered, Kol broke eye contact and turned away quickly. "I think it's spreading, Niklaus," Kol murmured into the phone, referring to this infection he had mentioned. Kol walked away briskly, intending to catch his connecting flight.

While Niklaus harped in his ear about the flights likely getting cancelled soon, Kol thought vaguely to the brunette.

What was her name again?

He struggled to recall why it was she was important. A few steps later, Kol just shrugged it off and dismissed it, wanting to forget about this nightmarish trip all together.

Little did he know, a year from then, things would never be the same when he sees her again.


	52. Waking up to Reality

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

**ATTENTION: READ THIS NOTE BEFORE READING THIS CHAPTER**

**THIS IS THE MAIN ENDING.** This is the ending from which the epilogue will be based off of. There are references made to the Irish Rose series, I apologize for that, but the overall message should be comprehensible for all readers. A full explanation of both endings will be provided after the epilogue.

* * *

Waking up to Reality

* * *

_[Imagine Dragons - It's Time]_

Maggie didn't want to do it, but a part of her knew that she had to. She needed answers.

She needed to know what happened. She had almost lost one of the most important people in her life and yet, he still wasn't there with her. She needed to know what was wrong with him. She needed to know why after a month since the shoot-out things were still not okay.

Being alone was the scariest part at first. Seeing Gabriel covered in blood, looking so pale and lifeless… she had no words for it. She didn't even care about the fact they caught the Governor. She didn't care about the deliberation that went on or the eventual agreement to go with Tyreese's suggestion of letting him die in one of those walker pits he had created. A pit, where he would turn into a walker and his body would know no rest, but he would forever be out of reach from harming anyone else again.

She was strong enough to get through Glenn's burial. There had been a time that she wouldn't have, but Gabriel made her believe otherwise. The news of what really happened coming from Carl only cemented it further.

Her joy was bittersweet two weeks later when Gabriel pulled through and woke up from his injury induced coma.

He came back to her, but not really. He wasn't the same. He woke up, spouting off things and places he had seen. Of course, Maggie understood the subconscious mind probably had given him all these dreams as a way to protect his mind from the physical trauma his body had gone through.

But it hurt not knowing what was going on with him and where her Gabriel had gone. He barely spoke to anyone the first few days and even as the weeks went by, he still wasn't the same. Even when he started to physically recover and Maggie told him exactly how she felt about him, he wasn't quite there.

Maggie knew she shouldn't be doing this, but she needed answers.

She needed to know what it was that he spent so much time intently scribbling into that journal of his. She lifted the mattress in his cell and pulled out the worn composition book. The pages were already nearly full.

* * *

Gabriel was waiting down by the main gate when Michonne came riding back in on that brown horse. Michonne hung around the prison more now that her hunt was over. But she still went out frequently on little runs. He didn't really want to call them supply runs, they were more like the need for Michonne to get out from the confines of the walls.

Gabriel's movements in his shoulders were still stiff from the recently recovering injury. Apparently if the bullet had been another millimeter to the right, it would have pierced a major artery. Heck, he was amazed like the rest that he was still alive.

"Did you get it?" Gabriel asked Michonne quickly. Rick and Carl were already heading down the gravel road in her direction.

"Of course," The quiet African woman answered him. She gave him a careful look. "I've gotten some odd requests before, stale M&M's, Avenger comics," She said pointedly and pulled out the item Gabriel had requested from the saddle bag on the horse.

"But never something like this," Michonne held out the small booklet, which was actually a road atlas. The name "VIRGINIA" read in bright yellow print across the top.

"Yeah, it is a little odd," Gabriel gave out a short chuckle, taking the book in his hand like if it was a Bible. Michonne gave him a hard look, he wasn't even paying attention to her anymore.

"You going to tell me what's it about?" She decided to ask bluntly.

Gabriel just gave a faint shake of his head and started to walk away when Rick caught up with him. He didn't look up at him either and went straight for the library, somewhere quiet to look at his find.

* * *

Maggie was horrified by what she found.

Not horrified in stomach churning, blood and guts sort of way. It was horrifying because what she was reading she could attribute to nothing short of a psychotic break. The first pages of the journal were filled with rushed scribbling, like someone trying to cram every detail down before it escaped them. That would be okay, if she was able to identify any of the numerous languages that were used.

She didn't understand any of the symbols, short sketches in the margins. It wasn't until about half way through the journal that she started to pick up some English. It was like it faded into a calmer handwriting too. But the content was purely bizarre.

All these descriptions of people and places – most of which seemed to be in Europe. It went back centuries.

Maggie didn't know what to think, but the most recent pages started to scare her. She had picked out mentions of some names that seemed familiar, it sounded like they were family members. But when she got to the most recent stuff, that's when she saw drawings of her face starting to show up.

At first, she thought she was a walker. She didn't understand the black around her eyes and what was wrong with her mouth. She didn't even think it was her, but her name was written so clearly as Margaret throughout many of the pages.

It was followed by so names that sounded familiar and some that did not. Nikalus, Elijah, Rebekah, Margaret, Lucy, Bonnie, Finn, Damon, Jeremy, Elena, Stefan, Rick, Hershel, Beth, Alaric, Meredith. Who were all these people?

Maggie flipped through to the last pages. Silas, Magdalene, Qetsiyah. More foreign names. Alexander, Connor. So many of the names at crude sketches with them. Maggie didn't recall Gabriel ever claiming to be an artist or a writer.

As if her stomach twisting this way and that wasn't hard enough, the last sketch was the most unnerving. She vaguely recognized the sloppily curly hair pulled back from her face and the wide jawline. But no, it couldn't be her.

Maggie felt sick seeing the name Andrea scribbled over and over again. "No fucking way," Maggie muttered aloud. There's no way that could be the same Andrea she knew. It was impossible, Gabriel never knew her and there's no way she would have such a crazed look in her eye coming after someone with a knife or whatever that weapon was in this drawing.

Maggie had enough.

She snapped the journal shut and stood up from the cot. She made her way out of the cellblock to find Gabriel and get some real answers.

* * *

_[Justin Timberlake – Mirrors]_

Gabriel leant back in his seat form the table in the library. The maps of the atlas he had combed through thoroughly. He wasn't sure if he felt relieved or disappointed, but he had searched it over and over. There was no doubt of the finding he did find.

He let out a deep sigh, causing his shoulders to sag a little. There was one thing he could be sure of now.

_Enough._

"No more," He murmured. It was time for him to put this behind him. He had let it go on long enough, this obsession of his.

The double doors of the library busted open to reveal Maggie, marching like a woman on a mission. Despite that, Gabriel smiled up at her. There she was - the one constant he could be sure of. Her steps were brisk and forced when she first entered the library, but they slowed down when she spotted Gabriel and came closer.

When was the last time she saw him smiling like that? She couldn't help but wonder, that took a little stem out of her ire.

"Gabriel, we need to talk," Maggie declared, dropping the journal pointedly on the table on top of the maps.

Instead of flinching from her words or actions, Gabriel calmly looked at the journal. "I know," He murmured to Maggie's surprise. She expected another avoidance, like the ones he had been giving lately. "I take it you read that?" He gestured towards the journal.

Maggie nodded and folded her arms over her chest, awaiting an explanation. She had to remind herself not to cry. She already wiped away the first tears before she entered the room.

Gabriel rose up gently from his seat. "When I was under, I had all these dreams," He began. "And they were just so vivid and real. I felt like I was trapped, I was never going to wake up. Like I was under for a thousand years." It had been quite the shock to find out it was only two weeks.

Gabriel moved around the edge of the table, closer to Maggie. His fingers brushed against the journal. "I wrote down as much as I could, because I didn't want to forget it. It seemed too important, like it could mean something. And then I just had to know if any of it was real. I just had to find out, you know?" He brought his eyes up to hers, holding the journal curled in his hands.

Maggie clenched her jaw tightly to keep herself from crying. Her gut told this was the moment she would find out her boyfriend was certifiably crazy. "And what did you find?" She hated herself for asking.

Gabriel looked down to the journal in his hands. In a sense, it felt like a betrayal after all the hours he had spent scribbling in it. But there was one simple truth in front of him that he couldn't ignore. "That there is no Mystic Falls," He stated, gesturing with the journal towards the maps.

Maggie didn't know what that meant, but she didn't interrupt him.

"I've checked those maps, I couldn't find Mystic Falls, the waterfalls, the river, nothing," Gabriel explained. He searched the areas particularly close to Richmond, but it wasn't there.

"And if there is no Mystic Falls," Gabriel declared the truth, waving the journal pointedly. "Then none of this is can possibly be real."

Maggie's expression softened and her arms loosened up a little. That certainly wasn't the direction she was expecting him to go.

To drive his point further, Gabriel dragged out the waste bin underneath the table with have a few scraps of paper in it. "And if it isn't real, then it doesn't matter," Gabriel decided, dropping the journal into the bin without opening another page.

Maggie was too stunned to say anything. She just watched him turn to the maps on the table, folding them up back into the book. She took half a step back in surprise when he pulled out a lighter.

"What are you doing?" Maggie blurted out, having trouble believing what she was seeing. The flames lit up the corner of the book, but Gabriel didn't seem bothered in the least.

"I don't want anything more to do with this," Gabriel said, dropping the burning maps into the waste bin to set the journal on fire as well. For several moments, he just watched the black and flames engulf the sheets. It didn't take long at all. Maggie's mouth hung open, watching it.

Gabriel picked his gaze back up to Maggie. "I've already spent too long, fixating on something that isn't real and ignoring what's been right in front of me this whole time," He murmured, taking a step closer to her.

For the first time since he woke up, Maggie felt like he was really looking at her.

"I was a fool and I'm sorry," Gabriel reached out to her, touching her cheek. All those times he had given her silence instead of helping her cope and withdrawing from everyone was for nothing. All chasing dreams that were so bizarre and whimsical, but intriguing because they vaguely resembled his reality. That was his twisted subconscious at work.

Gabriel brought his other hand up to her cheek, framing her face delicately in his hands. "Please forgive me," He asked of her, knowing it was a lot, but he had to.

Maggie should have been angrier with him. If he had just said he was going to change, she would have been dubious, but given him a chance. But seeing him burn that journal and sounding more like himself than he had in weeks, Maggie felt hopeful.

"Of course," She murmured, because that's what you do with people you love. Seeing the way he smiled at her, really seeing her, made her feel even more confident about it.

Gabriel leant down to her and kissed her tenderly. Maggie relaxed into the touch, finally feeling like he was focused solely and not haunted by something else. Her hands slipped up to wrap her arms loosely around his neck. Ignoring the small little fire in the waste bin, Gabriel pulled her by the hips against him.

"I love you," Maggie whispered against his lips the thing she had wanted to tell him before he left.

Gabriel grinned briefly down at her. They would sort out everything that happened to them and the rest of the prison, but this was a step in the right direction. "I love you, Margaret," He whispered back to her.

With her, he had hope that things would be okay after all.


	53. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:** I do not own The Walking Dead or claim any rights to its writing.

This is the epilogue. A full explanation of the endings to this fic will follow.

* * *

Welcome Home

* * *

_[Aerosmith – Dream]_

It was two months later when Gabriel got that fateful phone call from Elijah. To this day, he still recalled it with perfect clarity because it went against everything he thought would ever happen. Elijah had warned him since the beginning that he would talk to the refugee forces back home, but he couldn't make any promises.

Yet, Gabriel remembered the moment he was sitting up on the guard tower with his feet dangling over the edge of the balcony and Maggie sitting by his side for their weekly phone call ritual.

He remembered the moment Elijah said to him,

"_There's a ship headed for the American Atlantic coast…"_

Elijah gave him careful instructions that they had to follow to the dot.

"_It'll take a few weeks for the vessel to arrive, but it is imperative that you are there on the coast and you call this number so they know you're there…"_

Elijah gave Gabriel the number to another satellite phone. It had been difficult at best to convince Rick and the others about the legitimacy of this. The first three days since the phone call was spent deliberating and trying to convince people to leave the relative safety of the prison. The fences were sturdy for now, but this ship promised a chance at civilization. More than just the group and the huddled home they had built on scraps.

When the time came, they piled most of the people into the bus they had taken from Woodbury and the rest of the odd collection of vehicles they had gathered along the way. They only had enough gasoline to make a one-way trip.

"_Bring supplies, but only the essentials… If you have too much, they will force you to leave it."_

When they arrived on the coast, most of the survivors only had what they could carry in their backpacks and their guns. They lost two vehicles along the way, one that ran out of gas and the people that tried to help were overrun by walkers. They had to keep going to save the rest.

And yet, the sadness of those losses was overtaken for a while by the sight of the cargo ship with the Australian flags. They shot several flares off into the air from the coast before smaller motor boats came in their direction.

"_The journey on the ship will be the longest and hardest part…"_

It went without say that it would be the hardest part to survive as well. Gabriel didn't really know what to expect, but there was a certain level of comfort in seeing men in uniform again. It represented order and society, the hope that humanity could recover from this.

Even if this same symbol of hope forced them to surrender all of their weapons upon boarding the ship and live in tight quarters. They found out the stop for the prison survivors wasn't the only one. The ship was sending out a search along the coast for any other survivors. The reason Elijah had been able to sway them to head in this direction was because of the promise of so many in Georgia.

"_If you can, stock up on multivitamins, antibiotics, anything to keep your immune system and health up aboard the ship… I've heard stories of disease breaking out…"_

While there was an adequate supply of food and provisions for the survivors on the ship, the actual diet was rather lacking nutritionally.

There were three outbreaks on the ship during their journey back to Australia. The first had just been an old man that died in his sleep. The others were related to a strand of sickness that went around the ship. The last had been the most devastating type of flu. Many bodies had to be thrown overboard because of it.

The Atlanta group alone lost about a dozen members from it, including Patrick and Caleb. Those days were the worst. Maggie still remembered the days she had spent barricaded in her tight quarters with Gabriel and her family, just to make sure the dead wouldn't get to them.

"_When you reach Australia, you will hear the horns…"_

Maggie was woken by Gabriel shaking her shoulder from the narrow cot that they shared. She had to be careful not to bump her head on the cot above them. "What?" She grumbled.

"Come on," Gabriel urged her, almost pulling her out of bed. The hopeful grin on his face left Maggie wondering what had him so energetic.

They heard the deep bellowing noise louder than ever when they got deck side. Many of the survivors were already gathering, including Rick with Judith in his arms and Carl by his side.

The noise came from two battleships sitting in the bay they were heading into.

Gabriel remembered holding Maggie in his arms that day, listening to the sound of the horns and seeing the waving from people as they pulled into the refugee town that had arisen in the chaos of this new world.

"_Your journey won't be over when you arrived… First, you will have to be processed and approved. I can only describe as something akin to immigration and customs at an airport, except they have assault rifles…"_

When they first filed off the ship, they were shepherded into a building that looked like it had once been a school. Now it served as a processing center. Maggie clung to Gabriel's side through all of it. Their bags were taken to be searched and they were promised their guns would be returned to them once the screening was over.

"Country of origin?" One of the officers questioned Maggie's family, filing out the official paperwork for them.

"United States of America," Hershel answered on behalf of the Greene's. The Grime's went first and Gabriel hung with Maggie. The rest of the remaining prison survivors followed after them.

"Really?" The office lit up, his expression full of wonder.

Hershel stared at him with a blank, but hard expression.

"I'm sorry, mate," The officer apologized. Maggie was still having trouble getting over all the accents. "It's just been a very long time since we had anyone from America," He explained while stamping their paperwork and passing it back for them to move onto the next officer.

"_Don't let appearances fool you. Be extremely careful in everything you say or do while being processed. They're not looking for just physical threats, but anyone who doesn't seem like they will recover from their experiences…"_

It was unnerving, but Maggie didn't blame them for keeping an eye out for anyone that could potentially go postal on the civilian population. It was just an eerie pressure since everyone was so cheerful and welcoming of more survivors.

Maggie held her tongue and tried to let Hershel or Gabriel do most of the talking.

For some reason, no one really said anything or was particularly surprised to figure out that Tyreese disappeared somewhere during the processing. He was never the same after losing Karen in the shoot-out. Now, with all these military personnel and rifles in their hands, Rick and the others were in no position to question what became of him.

"_Be weary of what skills you disclose to them, unless that is what you want. They are looking for anyone with abilities to help rebuild and they'll highly pressure or try to entice you to staying in town…"_

"Occupation before the outbreak?" The officer asked Rick Grimes the standard question.

The ex-Sheriff cleared his throat, stealing a glance back towards Gabriel. He caught the faintest reassuring glance from the Aussie.

"Uh, stay at home Dad," Rick answered.

The officer halted before writing in the box on Rick's immigration papers and looked up at him incredulous. He wasn't sure if he was serious, but the ex-Sheriff just stared back at him firmly. The officer glanced from the infant on his hip to Carl standing by his side.

"Any valuable survival skills?" The officer moved onto the next question.

Rick just shrugged his shoulders and deadpanned, "I can change a diaper in two minutes."

The officer just stared at him for a long moment. "Remarkable," He muttered dryly before checking several boxes off and handing the paperwork back to him.

Their group had been reduced to nine in the waiting room; Rick, Carl, Judith, Hershel, Maggie, Beth, Gabriel, Carol and Daryl. The others were being processed in separate groups.

When the officer stepped into the room, everyone held their breath for the final verdict. At first, the officer was a younger man with a scruff along his chin. He rubbed it and gave an apprehensive sigh.

"I gotta say," He looked down at the paperwork for the group in his hand. "A bunch of undeclared college students," He glanced towards Maggie, Gabriel and Beth. "A retired Classics teacher," A glance towards Carol. "A stay at home father and a contract painter," He looked towards Rick and Daryl. He didn't even bother saying anything about the old man with one leg. He was crabby enough after the medical examination they had given him.

"It's a miracle you lot survived this long," The officer shook his head.

"_If you're approved, you'll be given your belongings back and all the non-automatic weapons. The rest will likely be confiscated for the military to use…"_

"But…" The officer looked up from the stack of papers in his hands.

"Welcome to the surviving Republic of Australia," He declared with a grin and started to pass out the little booklets that contained their new identification cards. They weren't anything nearly as complicated or intricate as the ones they had in the United States, but they told who they were, where they from and other basic physical information. Rick and Daryl exchanged a knowing smirk with Gabriel.

"Home of the fastest immigration process," The officer added on cheekily, giving out the last one to Carol. He paused before adding on half mindedly, "And probably the only one left."

"I bet he says that to everyone," Carol muttered under her breath, earning an elbow to her side from Daryl.

After that, they were free to collect their bags and leave. Unlike the others, they weren't pressured into staying in town because of their inadequate skills and the connection that Gabriel had to reinforce about his family. Still being able to produce his original Australian identification card from the depths of that Human Anatomy book helped.

Others like Jennifer and Sasha chose to stay in town, still wanting to help out in what they that they could.

Gabriel thought he would be more disappointed about not having his rifle returned to him than he actually was. It was bittersweet, feeling like it was missing when he collected his bags with Maggie. But at the same time, he was okay with it. That was a chapter of his life he wanted to close and if leaving his rifle meant he could do that, then that was what he would do.

"_Once you leave the immigration building, there'll be reception. Everyone gathers when they hear the horns. That's where you will find us…"_

Gabriel squinted, stepping out into the sunlight as they left the processing building. He held onto Maggie's hand tightly. Rick and Hershel followed after them at this point with the rest of their group of nine. Before this, Rick and Hershel had been the leaders, but now it was Gabriel's turn. It was time to see what they had dragged them half way across the world for.

The collection of people that waited was overwhelming. There was cheering and clapping for the new arrivals as more began to filter out of the building from the rescue vessel. There was music, an array of instruments and the banging of drums. Maggie recognized the remnants of the American national anthem for the new arrivals. She had missed the sound and feeling of inappropriate loud music and joy.

Gabriel's eyes were searching the faces of the crowd though as they sifted through it.

And then he found them. The oddball collection of his family, standing there like they about to pose for a disjointed Christmas photo.

"Gabriel!" The forerunner called out to him, and Maggie nudged the Aussie on the elbow to move towards them.

He stood there in a goddamn suit of all things. Of course, he would dress like it was a black tie event. His wife stood next to his right, a radiant smile on her face. With them was a blonde that lit up as soon as she saw Gabriel. Maggie recognized that one to be Rebecca from the pictures. Her husband had to hold her back with a whisper in her ear and an arm around her waist, to let Gabriel approach his immediate family first. Another woman with bright red hair, showing very far along in her pregnancy, stood next to the one Maggie vaguely recalled looking like a pirate in the photo Gabriel showed her.

Gabriel stepped ahead from the American group, his hand slipping from Maggie's as soon as he spotted his older brother.

Maggie gave a small smile. At first, she was thrown by similar they looked in person, but she was more touched by their matching smiles of relief. Gabriel reached for Elijah, to pull him in for a hug. The older brother caught him by the shoulders first, holding him at arm's length, to get a real good look at him and really make sure what he was seeing was real.

"Eli," Gabriel greeted, not even trying to be a man about it and hide his emotional relief.

"Gabe," Elijah said back to him, for the first time hearing his little brother's voice in person and not through a phone. His hands moved up, touching his cheeks briefly before pulling him into an embrace. The rest of the Michaels family crowded around them, itching to get closer, but respecting the brotherly moment.

The Atlanta survivors stepped up behind Maggie, getting a look at the people that promised them sanctuary for the first time.

As if suddenly remembering the others, Gabriel pulled back with the broadest smile Maggie had ever seen on him. "Elijah," He cleared his throat, stepping back and gesturing towards Maggie. "This is my Margaret," He introduced proudly, placing a hand on her lower back.

Elijah exchanged a knowing look with Gabriel, grinning at the promise that he made due on. He turned his attention to Maggie politely, taking the hand that she held out to him bashfully.

"Welcome home," He greeted her and the rest of her family.

* * *

The End

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay so I hope you were able to keep up so far! To the people that reviewed in chapter 51 and had no idea what was going on, I don't know what to tell you. I tried to warn you that it wouldn't make sense if you haven't read Irish Rose, don't get mad at me because you did not read my bolded author's note.

Now the explanation of the endings –

The way this story first came about was for my friend Miko. We wondered what it would be like if there was a character similar or equivalent to Kol in TWD and viola – that's how I came up with the idea for Gabriel. So if you've read my other stories, we all know my heart is in Kol/Maggie and the idea came to me – "What if You Deserve More was just a dream all along and a product of Kol's imagination?" So that's where the alternate ending comes from, where Gabriel was just a dream of Kol's before he first saw Maggie in Irish Rose. A dream that he had and forgot shortly after – like we all do with dreams.

On the other hand, I wanted an ending where there was no supernatural involved (aka no TVD verse or characters) and I thought it would be a nice to have the symmetry of Kol having dreams about Gabriel's life and Gabriel having dreams about Kol's life. Thus in the main ending, we have Gabriel coping with some PTSD and those onslaught of dreams (because Kol has a LOT more of them). There's also a key Emerald Rage spoiler in there. ;D But ultimately, Gabriel figures out what is more important – Maggie and his family.

I think the endings have the best of both worlds. The alternate ending, which yes, Kolie is fated from the beginning. The reason I killed Gabriel off in that ending is because the whole point of the story was for Maggie to grow stronger as a person. I always tinkered with the idea that Gabriel wouldn't always be around and some day she would have to go on without him. And then the Mabriel ending, of course, I decided to keep him around and let them have their slice of happiness. I know these endings probably weren't what most people were expecting, but it's what I wanted and that's the whole point of fanfiction, right?

Anyway, there are more little details about these endings I didn't get into, but I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions! Thank you to everyone who stuck with me for this ride. Your support has been undying and amazing! I will continue to reply to reviews left here or comments on Tumblr. Thank you all!


End file.
